Change Up (SYOC open for villains only)
by WaterliliesDust
Summary: Not everyone can be a hero. Not everyone can fly high enough to touch the sky of success or claim the title as number one. But when the symbol of peace shatters before the public and the once invincible UA is no longer untouchable, the new darkened state of the nation is on the brink of falling apart. Can Class 1-B fight through their second-rate title and be worthy of being heroes
1. Change Up Form (SYOC)

Not everyone can be a hero. Not everyone can fly high enough to touch the sky of success or claim the title as number one. But when the symbol of peace shatters before the public and the once invincible UA is no longer untouchable, the new darkened state of the nation is on the brink of falling apart. Can Class 1-B fight through their second-rate title and be worthy of being heroes, defying against all the odds as the second-rate underdogs they were dubbed to be from the beginning? Or are they just as hopelessly second-rate as everyone says? !SYOC OPEN!

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Hi there everyone! I know that I haven't posted in a while, but I've been pretty busy with life (RIP me) however, I've finally found the time to come back! Since this is more of a coming back celebration/new start I wanted to try out something new to fit the theme, so this is the result, my first attempt at a My Hero Academia syoc story. I'm a huge fan of the anime, but there were a few things that I debated changing, which is the focus on class 1-B instead of the main class and tell their story. Which leads us to "Change Up" because we're going to break away from the usual storyline and go with something a bit more refreshing and different.  
Midoriya's class, 1-A will be the graduating class in this story, so they are now 3-A.

I hope you guys give this a chance and are willing to submit a character. Please give me whatever you like! Feel free to include class 1-A characters, heroes from the anime/manga or come up with something entirely different and unique. I can't wait to see what you come up with! Thank you, babes! ^^

And everyone, please give a warm welcome to our co-author, ** _LunairiaBlaze_**! She's literally so amazing and gracious enough to help make this happen, so everyone show her some love! Thanks again. :)

 _ **What I'm looking for:**_

 _ **I'll be needing at least 9 main characters, possibly more. This will be our "Class 1-B"**_ **. I'll also be needing villains and characters from other classes, so fill free to submit whatever kind of character you want.**

 _ **This story will revolve around both the OCs and canon characters but canon will not be the primary focus, and instead will be more of side characters. Please remember that the OCs need to come from all walks of life, that being said, they don't have to have a background of anything special, or even have a "good" track record. If you want to make more of a "delinquent/troublemaker" oc for the class, then go right ahead. They don't all have to be cut and dry good guys, they are humans who have human faults/weaknesses.**_

 _ **Remember that for this story in particular, class 1-B is directly under 1-A, so they don't have to be "the best" to start with and that's okay. I know that originally in the anime/manga the students in class 1-a and 1-b were split at random, however, for this story we will pretend that class 1-a is the alpha class and 1-b is second best. This time around, they will learn to develop their abilities and hopefully become shinning heroes in time. So you don't have to give me these "perfect and OP" characters. They can have flaws or seem lame at first, and that's fine. So have fun with it and come up with any OC you'd like!**_

 **Rules for submitting an OC-**

 **1.) Please only submit your OC through PM only. That's the only way your OC will get accepted. And if you do not mind, title your PM like this: CHARACTER NAME - ALIAS - HERO/VILLAIN  
**

 **2.) You do not have to follow or favorite, these are optional, though please try to keep up with my updates. And please don't submit over one OC unless you ask first!**

 **3.) I only want active readers for this story, but you do not have to comment every chapter. Constructive criticism is welcome! And try to give me feedback on what you like about the plot and what you aren't very fond of so far. This goes for every chapter you review. I'd really like to see everyone's opinions so I can adapt the story to fit what you all like.**

 **4.) PLEASE, NO MARY-SUES/GARY-STUS. Try to be realistic when creating your OC. No one is perfect, so don't let your OC seem like that unless it's part of your character development/arc. Also, this won't be first come first serve, so please keep this in mind. Let them have flaws; this is what makes up who your character really is.**

 **5.) You can be related to canon characters but try to be realistic about it. If your sister is Uraraka, then you can't also be Shouto's cousin.**

 **6.) Please don't go overboard with your oc in general. I DO NOT WANT OP CHARACTERS. Remember that most of these girls and boys are rookies, which means that this is most likely more than half of the OCs first time really using their powers, so they don't need to be hella fantastic just yet. There will be exceptions for a few OCs, but I don't want anyone to be too good quite yet. I want to help develop their potentials and let us all see them grow.**

 **7.) Love interests are optional, you do not have to have one, but if you decide to it can be anyone. That's entirely up to you. Whether that be canon characters or new OCs.**

 **8.) Last but not least, have fun with it! Create any kind of OC you want! Follow the rules as best as you can and try not to limit yourself. I want a diverse group of OCs, so come up with anything! If you guys have questions of any kind, please let me know right away! ^^**

 **A/N If you're wanting to submit a villain, please make sure you put that down on your form, so I know the difference.**

 **Form to fill out: (I also have this on my profile for you guys to copy/paste)**

Full Name (Last, First):

Alias/Hero Name:

Nickname(s) (optional):

Age (Keep in mind that they are in high school):

Grade: (Are you a member of the 1-B class or another class?)

Gender:

Sexuality:

Quirk(s)/Special abilities (Tell me a little about it. If, for example, your quirk is explosions, tell me how it works and possible weaknesses and limitations, etc. You may have several different parts to your quirk but list out these examples. If you have certain moves/styles, then tell me the name and an explanation.)

Ethnicity/Nationality:

Appearance (Please try not to leave anything out. This includes eye color, hair color, style, weight, height, build, skin,etc.):

Markings:

Clothing & Accessories (Include school clothing, training wear, casual, formal, sleepwear, etc.):

Costume & Accessories:

Weapon(s)/gadgets:

Fighting Style:

Personality (Try to be very descriptive here! If you are not descriptive enough I will be either asking you to edit this or I will skip over your form. Include their traits, quirks, how s/he acts/what they're like, etc. More than a few sentences please.):

Strengths:

Weaknesses:

Fears:

Likes:

Dislikes:

Hobbies:

Habits:

Family (Only those that are important to your OC.):

History/Backstory (Make sure to include everything important that has happened in your OCs life, including when they started using their quirk.)

Residence: (Do you live in the dorms or at your home? Describe your room/house.)

Friends (What type of people does your OC get along with?):

Enemies (Type of people that your OC doesn't like):

Love Interest/Relationship (optional. Yes or no and then give me an idea of what type of person they would like to be with. Either OC or canon character.):

Why do you want to be a hero? Any future goals?:

How did you get into UA? (Did you pass the entrance exam, were you recommended?):

How do you feel about being in class 1-B? Do you have any hard feelings for the other class?:

Who would you like to mentor under/be the sidekick of?:

Quotes (optional):

Story ideas (optional):

Is there anything else I need to know?:


	2. Prologue

**Hello, dears! Yes, we know, it's been exactly 7 days since we posted this story and we're finally coming out with a prologue lol. We were debating whether to post one or not but here it is! :)**

 **LunairiaBlaze and I would like to thank all of everyone who has submitted an OC so far, you guys are amazing. We're still going over every OC, we had way more than we even planned on, so it's taking us a while to finish reviewing them. This is still open for OCs, so please feel free to apply if you'd like to. We decided it was only fair to give you guys some kind of prologue to go off of to set the tone for the overall plot, but also give you guys a feel for our writing styles. Please excuse our mistakes, and I hope it's not too awful XD**

 **I'm still trying to PM everyone back, so please know that if I haven't answered your messages yet that I am working on it and I'll have everyone answered soon. Usually, I'm very quick to reply, but with all of the PMs I've been receiving at once and the limited time I've had to be on here, I haven't fully messaged everyone back. I am so sorry, and I am very thankful for all of your PMs. Every time I read one, it makes me so happy to know someone cares enough about our story to participate with us. Thank you a ton! So remember, if I haven't messaged you back yet about your OC, you should receive a PM within the next day or two. I work and go to college, so it's a bit difficult for me to find a lot of time to be on at once, but I do try my best to get on every day or every other day.  
**

 **Because of this prologue, we're actually changing the rating of the story to M, just to be safe. Things took an EXTREMELY DARK turn LOL and at first, we didn't plan on it but it just kind of happened so here you go XD There will be descriptive/graphic scenes of violence, horrific events, death/murder, language, and angst. However, the whole story won't be as dark as this prologue, we promise! Let us know what you think of it!**

 **The first chapter will definitely be a huge contrast to this one, much more light-hearted and humorous, so please look forward to that!**

 **Thank you guys again and let us know what you think! This story is still OPEN FOR OCS!**

 **LunairiaBlaze: Sorry for the long wait guys, here's the prologue! Thank you for reading and don't be afraid to review even if it's all criticism, it can only help us in the end. All the spots haven't been filled yet, so there's still plenty of time to submit more OCs. You can even send in multiple OCs if you haven't already.**

 **Disclaimer - We do not own My Hero Academia. This story is merely a work of fiction.**

 **Rating - M - for graphic scenes of violence, horrific events, death, murder, language, angst, etc.**

 **Warnings - THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR THE MANGA, GRAPHIC SCENES OF VIOLENCE AND DEATH THAT ARE NOT FOR THE LIGHT HEARTED OR UNDER-AGED CHILDREN. You have been warned. Please read at your own discretion. Turn back now if this is not for you.**

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 **Prologue**

Every human's life is a story. We all have different characters and plotlines that are told in unique fashions specific to one person and their experiences, no two stories the same. The days are pages and years are chapters. And finally, after all of these numerous, lengthy chapters, Recovery girl was at the end of her arc at U.A, the prestigious hero academy of Japan. She was writing the closing paragraph of her life here, finishing up the last sentence before slowly turning the page to a fresh start successfully ending her long arc and tearing a hole right into her aged, fragile heart. But it was time; she couldn't continue much longer here. Even though this was a dark time for her students, they had to go on without her now.

Students from all over the world came to attend this school to become proper heroes, and she has seen a great many grow and prosper, while just as many if not more have failed; their hopes and dreams dashed into the dirt, tossed aside like yesterday's leftovers. Some were reckless in their desperation to improve while others simply stopped putting in real effort as soon as they passed the entrance exam. But one thing was for certain over these years, she loved them all like her own children, and she certainly didn't hold back when it came to reprimanding them, especially if they really needed a good lecture.

Recovery Girl's movements falter when her hand comes across something that feels like paper, shoved in the deep crevices of the jarred, bottom desk drawer. My my, what is this? She was pretty sure she had already cleaned this drawer out last night, so what could this be? Curiosity always kills the cat, as they say, and they couldn't be more right. Curiosity usually did get the better of her, probably one of the reasons why she took this job in the first place.

She squints at the paper-like material as she pulls it out to get a better look with the overhanging lights, illuminating the newspaper clipping of a certain someone with wavy, unmanageable hair, wide-eyes, and freckle covered rosy cheeks. Goodness, what a sweet sight for such tired old eyes. Her heart was swelling to the brim with affection, and the elder didn't bother containing the smile that curls its way onto her face from joy in the midst of this bittersweet transition as she remembers one troublemaker in particular. Times like these were when she wanted to chastise herself for getting attached to her students, but it was something she couldn't help.

The newspaper clipping was from the boy's first year, right after he had selflessly, yet foolishly, jumped into action to save his much angrier and crass classmate. After these three years, she had forgotten she even had this picture in the first place, all jagged at the edges from her careless cuts and wavering in her wrinkled hands as her heart sang in its confines. No, Izuku was a special boy, and she loved him much like she did everyone else, but he would always hold a place in her heart, the same place that she wanted to seal him away from the cruelties he would face as he got older. And it would just be getting worse. Especially at a time like this.

Yes, he was a very genuine kid but so utterly reckless when he first started out. Saving and protecting others came as easily to him as breathing, but control over his quirk often felt like pulling teeth, and he would yank them out with bare hands. My god, she shook her head with a faint chuckle reverberating around the now empty nurses quarters, he had grown so much over these past two years, and now he was in the next graduating class. She would have loved to see him go all the way, but these old bones of hers may not hold out until then. Izuku needed support in a time like this, such a critical time for the future of heroes where the world's every worry was placed on his wiry shoulders to carry, and she feared he couldn't do it alone, but he was being forced to. Bless the poor child's soul… But he had no option now.

She had fought against it, had demanded that the school board and fellow heroes give the boy some time, give his class a chance to be children for just a little longer, but their hands were tied. And she, who was she? She was just an old lady whose time was coming to an end. No matter how much she stayed up shedding tears in the walls of her home for that poor boy and his classmates, that wouldn't change his fate, or anyone else's. All Might was too ill to carry on, despite him attempting to deny it and refusing to follow the doctor's orders of bedrest. So there wasn't any way for him to continue as the number one hero and now the world was aware of this. They were all aware that their "invincible" hero was anything but.

Morale had lowered in the last month and a half from both civilians and students alike, after the fall of the number one hero and she had been at her wits in trying to boost the mood of the students, but hope was dwindling away. She feared it was only a matter of time before crime went up tenfold and a revolts started rearing their heads around Japan. Yes, everyone would most likely see this as a bad time for her to leave but she couldn't be here any longer. She finalized her decision days ago, and she was sticking to it. These helpless children, with their hearts shattered and dreams coming to a halt, needed someone else to fill this spot and she wasn't going to deny them that. And honestly, she didn't agree with all of the choices the school itself was making regarding the graduating class, and she would not stand by anymore and let this go on.

It was surreal to know that she's packing up the last of her supplies; her notice of retirement already placed on principal Nedzu's desk some two hours ago seems almost like a vivid dream, some reality far away from here. This was her home, for many years and now she would be moving on and leaving this life behind, letting someone else have their own chance to fill such a critical and tiresome position. Now, it was time for another hero to start a new chapter of their journey here, much as she had many years ago.

Recovery Girl sighed aloud to herself as she placed the newspaper cutout along with the last bottle of antiseptic in her briefcase. Her worn, rough with age and effort, tanned hands seem just to be going through the motions, forcing her to latch the clasp of the very last, white pristinely cushioned briefcase, laying the massive, sterile case on her now clear desk, weary of knocking off the old monitor of her computer. She couldn't shake the odd sensation of seeing the metal surface void of her jar of cute pens and pencils in many different animal themes and glittery prints, her box of colorful paperclips, the container of rainbow lollipops, and piles and piles of paperwork and health files on the students and teachers alike. Instead, it was just absent, lonely and cold.

She had to acknowledge the reality that she was trying to ignore and face head-on at the same time, two clashing and contradicting truths that she now couldn't stop. Recovery Girl cleared her throat, listening to the guttural sound echo off of the blank white walls and empty hospital equipment, trying in vain to ignore the pang in her heart. Without her sweet touch, the room lacked any warmth or familiarity; it lacked that motherly feel that she hoped to establish in this school as a haven for her children amongst such a rough life. Goodness, she expected that whoever took this room over after her would do the children some justice, give them that little light of hope and security that they all needed to succeed because she wouldn't be able to fulfill that duty anymore.

Now, that was gone, and all that was left was an empty, standard metal desk situated in the corner by the closed door, dark monitor on top and erased of all of her previous files. Two crisp sheets covered the vacant hospital beds, a plain white privacy curtain bunched up by the wall, dangling forgotten as it hung from the ceiling and several empty shelves and cream colored file cabinets, doors opened and empty and her hollow heart. With one last sweeping glance of the room, of what she told herself was to check for any forgotten supplies and not to mourn her retirement, that was it. She didn't have any other excuses for staying behind. The room was clear of her presences, wiped clean of any evidence of her even existing there. Like the chapter of her life was ripped away and crumpled up to be tossed aside and like a ghost, she would come and go in the night, leaving nothing behind.

This life was no more. The world she once loved and knew with opened eyes and eager intentions were finished. No, this was a new time that she wasn't a part of.

The feeling of pinpricks was overwhelming behind her sockets as the sterile white room blinded her, but she refused to let sadness take over and tears form. She shook her head, now was not the time to cry. She could cry later, but not now. She swallowed to keep herself from giving into the emotions she told herself she wouldn't, she was a strong woman after all, and reached out and taking the briefcase by the handle, tugging it off of the table to fall at her side. The weight of the medical supplies seemed to drag her small frame down, but in reality, she knew it was only about a few grams of medications and bandages, but at that moment it felt like she was lugging cement, not just in her hands but in her chest. Her stomach twisted into knots as she glanced over her shoulder one last time and then faced her gaze on the closed door.

It was time now, time to leave. She couldn't just stand here all day long like a lost puppy waiting for an owner that would never come; she had to vacate the area for the next employee to take over. The stinging of her eyes amplified ten-fold as she receded from the room, her free hand turning the doorknob and revealing to her the dark empty hallway and with careful steps and a heavy heart, she makes her way down the halls. Yes, she would miss this place dearly, all the boys and girls that were like children to her along with the new ones that came in every year.

Her gaze wandered the vacant halls and classrooms, taking in the building she knew and loved for most likely the last time, trying to burn the memories into her mind forever, every detail clear as day for her to look back on. Her steps were hobbled, this old body barely making it through the school. And by the time she's out of the building and standing at the gates, she has to will her tears not to come. She would not cry, after all, she can still watch them grow during the sports festival broadcasts. Recovery girl - no she was no longer recovery girl, she was Chiyo Shuzenji now - Chiyo looks up at the grand building one last time, a sad, watery smile wrinkling her features, glassy eyes bright with unshed emotion. She caught the chuckle in her throat, goodness; she was a bit ridiculous. She wasn't dying, after all, but it felt like it.

The words echo from her lips before she can stop them, flowing through the air and disappearing like the wind in a gentle whispering tone, almost as if she hadn't even said anything at all, a warmth flooding her veins and chest.

"Good luck, my children," before exiting the gate and heading towards her home, her thoughts filled with curiosity on who would take her place and what the new students would be like come time for the entrance exam.

* * *

This was his big break; the number one hero was now a ghost of his former self, all gaunt and sickly figure. The time was here, just waiting to be snatched. If he wanted to succeed, then it would be now. He had to act.

Everything was left in his hands, the fate of their future relied on how things played out here, and he'd be damned if he let it flit away into the night. He wasn't some amateur who didn't even know the basic knowledge of pick-pocketing. He was well past that, so he shouldn't mess this up. He would follow his role as the good boy he was. An amused smirk quipped up his lip, curling and bright, sharp, pearly white teeth bared to the dark, eyes ablaze with humor. Oh, good boy, he would be. They would be so proud of him, so proud. It's not like he could even mess something as thoughtless and straightforward as this up.

A light breeze carded through short, pitch black, slicked back locks, sending chills down his muscular form, but he clenched his teeth in refusal, both at moving or shivering but the nasty smirk stayed etched onto his features. His body was buzzing pleasantly, a familiar excitement coursing through his veins and lighting up his pale amber eyes, making them glow unearthly from behind the leaf-covered branches. He could hardly contain himself, almost like a child in a toy shop. There was just so much waiting for him; he had been waiting for such a moment. God, he was just so damn sick of petty crime. It was the same shit for weeks now, alternating between stealing cars for quick cash and robbing unsuspecting store owners. He was just so bored with it all. The same routine day in and day out. It was well past time for some real fun. He hadn't felt this alive, well, since the exposure of All Might himself.

Yozaki snickered to himself at the memory with a lazy grin. The soft sound floating out into the crisp night air, drowning in the busy city streets that surrounded him, car horns blaring and music playing in the distance, voices, so many talking and laughing at once, crowding him in like a playpen and swiftly masking his sounds, sealing him away into the darkness. Oh, the lovely memory of how the hero had looked so frail as if a simple breeze could make him collapse. Their hero, the nation's idol was now down for the count. His ears give a quick twitch; yes the number one hero was for the better part a complete zero now. With that hulking mass of muscle efficiently out of his way, Yozaki could spend more of his hours playing instead of running. His eyes, glowing with malice and glee, drift up to the prestigious building ahead of him.

"What better way to have a little fun than to dirty up such a pretty building?" Yozaki's tail begins to sway, and he chuckles to himself, then lazily moves to flip the switches on the backs of his red and gold gauntlets with the ease of practice.

Oh, he was going to have fun with this, his fingers curl and flex as the metal paw pads begin to heat. Yozaki looks up at the darkening sky from his perch on a broad tree branch, thick with leaves, noting that it should be half-past eight by now. He knew he was alone, the sidewalk outside of U.A High was somewhat vacant at this time of night. He couldn't detect any other movement or noises outside of his own raging breath in his ears. Most students and teachers alike had already gone home hours ago or turned into their dorms for the night, so this was an excellent time to commence with the operation.

His smirk widened until it becomes a twisted grin; just a few more seconds and his target would be walking home for the night. But God, this was just too easy. This predicament was almost downright laughable. This job was handcrafted for him, made to suit his tastes and there were no doubts that he could pull this off.

Almost as if on cue, a young woman with silky blue hair draped over her shoulders in medium length choppy strands, steps out from the gates, her head lowered in what looks like exhaustion. A long brown fitted trenchcoat is securely tied around her waist, brown flats clicking soundlessly out into the ticking nothingness.

The thing about this is that Yozaki doesn't know her name, and he doesn't care ever to learn it, but he recognizes the face- the pretty features and soft expressions. He has seen it hundreds of times, scrolling across the news on television, painted on billboards in the center of the city square, and hanging from skyscrapers, even flashed in pictures thumbtacked to a bulletin board. He knows her in the hunched way she carries herself, thin frame almost threatening to blow away in the night breeze, the shine of her bright blue strands in the trickle of lamplight. For once, he almost feels bad for her, almost. With the slump of her small shoulders and slow strides she makes, she looks worn down to the bone, barely making it outside of the school grounds on her own two feet. Just the sight of her makes his stomach churn in uncomfortable sloshes, and the urge to punch something is overwhelming. Pathetic, and she calls herself a hero? She's the one, and the only thing on his mind is when to pounce.

The woman makes the fatal mistake of pulling out her phone, most likely to text a family member or lover and Yozaki takes that opportunity the same way he would snatch candy from a child. She was asking for it. He knows its time, can tell without even sparing her a second glance. His body is humming and ready, quivering with excitement and thrill as he makes his way down from his hiding spot. Though he might be tall, with exceptional muscles and an intimidating stature, his body moves as slyly and careful as a feline. He twists himself over branches all while dodging any lights from the lamppost and buildings close by, shielding himself from view and away from prying eyes, keeping the advantage. He is quick and clever and not a sound is made as his bare feet hit the solid ground.

The next few minutes are a blur of speed and predicted movements as Yozaki leaps at her with the grace of a jungle cat. She doesn't notice him, not until it's too late and she doesn't make a sound. Just a small, horrified gasp leaves her red, glossy lips but is muffled by the paw he shoves against her face, muffling her screams, so she doesn't alert anyone standing close by. He works thoroughly, not sparing her a second to take the upper hand and skirt away from him. It is times like these he doesn't control himself - can't control his own movements. It's like someone else is taking over his body and mind and all he can do is numbly watch behind cruel yellow slits.

It's painful and long and seems to last the whole night, something he planned for and honestly he isn't that surprised. Her pale, long, spindly fingers, nails short and painted a light pink, alternate between clutching helplessly at her sides and grabbing ahold of his tight-fitting ebony sleeves, trying in vain to push him away. But they both know that it's too late, that her struggling, the frantic kicks and punches and thrashes are not getting her free. It's pitiful and pathetic, and Yozaki finds sick satisfaction from it. Yozaki almost jumps in surprise when something warm and wet touches his paw. What the hell is that? He snaps his eerie eyes up to her face just in time to see fat, crocodile tears falling in streams down from her wide brown eyes. Her eyes are glued to his face, refusing to blink as she continues to cry and for some odd reason he's annoyed by it. A wave of disgust washes over him, and he frowns. Where's this hero now? Where is the beautiful fairy, with the happy eyes and fierce attitude? Is she the one everyone fonds over? In retaliation, he tightens his hold on her body, harshly pressing the burning paw to her face and finally finds comfort when she screams into his hand.

And when he's done, he lays her down, carefully as one would a precious object, displaying her for the world to see on the bloodstained concrete below.

Her body is prettily laid out, blue hair fanning out around her head almost forming a wispy halo. Her skin is paler than usual, the tinge of pink on her marred face slowly draining away with what was left of her life and one thought circles his head, 'beautiful.' Now that she's not thrashing around and crying like a helpless child, she's actually pretty cute, he silently muses. Ahh, what a lovely day, a perfect little afternoon.

The smirk is still there, plastered on his face as he gives her a last once-over, admiring his work like any artist, before turning away, disappearing in the night. His job was done, of course, he added little extra touches here and there, his own flare, but it was finished, and he was proud. His smirk only grows when his ears perk up at the sound of a woman's blood-curdling scream from behind him, other frantic cries and voices echoing through the night.

The next morning, other faculty members are greeted with the gruesome sight, the dark, drenching, eye-opening reality of blood etched into the wall of U.A's gates, and no one can stop the sick feeling welling up in their stomachs. The red stains look as if they were painted on; some even shaped into paw marks and written in surprisingly neat letters made from the chilling liquid was a simple message: "the cat has come out to play"! A good hundred feet away, they find the body of the newest class 1-B teacher, her crumpled body covered in dozens of deep gouges and furrows. Most look as if they were done by claws but others have the tell-tale black charred edges of intense burns. However, the worse marks of all are the two obvious paw marks charred into the poor woman's mouth and nose as well as her neck; another message etched into her arm most likely done with claws as well. It read: "enjoy your gift, heroes," and stood out bright red against her stark white skin. Whoever had killed her had taken their twisted time tormenting the teacher before finishing her off with the burns to her face and neck, tying up the whole brutal mess with the demented messages.

Thousands of civilians and reporters crowd the sidewalks, pushing to get a front-row view of the horrific scene, straight out of a horror movie. Whispers, voices murmuring quietly engulfed the throng of people, but no one dared to raise their voice above a mere low tone, almost as if they were afraid to break this fragile glass that kept everyone from drowning. But the glass was already cracked, the putrid stench of blood an effective hammer against their fragile minds.

Cries were heard from all parts of the crowd, people, students, heroes, everyone, were sobbing out of horror or fear, even sadness, and uncertainty for the future of Japan, all mixed into one throbbing, boiling pit of despair flooding everyone's minds and taking over. It was as if cold water had been poured over each of their heads, waking them up to the outside world, to the truth. Everyone was shocked at the horrific display, scarred for the entirety of their lives. Not one hero looked to be calm or in their right mind. Mouths were dropped open and eyes glued to the crumpled, once courageous figure laid out in a heap on the dirty sidewalk, her clothes torn and ratty, blue hair matted in sticky redness and turning a disgusting maroon. And for once, the reporters just wordlessly stared, faces bleak and absent of color, mics clutched in their hands until their knuckles turned white.

She had no known enemies and yet there was her disfigured body, put on full display at U.A. for all the world to see like some cruel piece of artwork, the looming silhouette of the U.A. building, standing tall and proud just behind her body; a slap in the face. She was a model hero, a kind person with a heart of gold. She left no stone unturned when searching for a criminal and never let a single child cry out of pain or fear. And no one could figure out why this happened to her. Why, out of all of the people in Japan was she a victim? One who was so gentle and lovely, who opened her heart to the world and brought a sense of security to Japan's citizens. It was disgusting - cruel. Everyone was thinking the same thing, 'Why her?'

And that was the moment that everything broke, All Might was at the very end of his hero days and events like these, brutal murders of innocent people, were only the beginning. Was no one safe from this senseless violence? They had left their mark, made it known to the world that they were here and now, it was coming.


	3. UPDATE! Please read!

**IMPORTANT UPDATE! PLEASE READ!**

 _LunairiaBlaze_ :  
Hey, guys just wanted to let you all know that something had come up and we haven't been able to write much for the next chapter but don't fret too much. It's not that we lost interest or anything like that, it's more like the holidays proved to be much busier than we expected, and it severely pushed us back. We're still very much continuing this story, but with being busier with work and school, we need some time to catch up, get everything back in order and all that. There's a chance that we could have the next chapter up soon but if life happens yet again, it could push us back more. Sorry about the wait, guys and thank you so, so much for your continued patience, support, and interest in our story; we're doing our best to make it up to you all by posting some rocking content.

 _Waterlilies_ :  
As Lunairia said, we're so incredibly sorry for the long wait we had to leave you guys with. The holidays were hectic and since we both have jobs, which means extra shifts and long hours and I have college, so with finals it just wasn't a good time for either of us to work on things. I had some personal family stuff going on as well that really took a toll on my family and me that I'd rather not discuss, but now that that is all settled we are ready to be on finally. Literally, Lunairia and I have been discussing plans for this for so long, and we really are happy to get on with things. I promise that we're still fully invested in this story, we have several chapters planned out and close to ready for posting, and we're excited to get back in gear! The posts won't be too far apart, and we'll be on pretty regularly. You won't have to worry about long waits again.

So this is the big question:

WHO IS STILL INVOLVED IN THIS? **Please comment in a review or PM us and let us know who still wants to be in the story. We have a final list of accepted OCs ready, but with whoever comments, this will be the deciding factor of who's OCs are accepted. So please let us know if you're still in. That goes for anyone. If you haven't even sent in an OC yet then go right ahead, this story is still open. So please comment as soon as you can and let us know so we can start wrapping this up. **Thanks to everyone who has stayed with us through this long wait, we cannot thank you enough for your patience with us and this story. I hope we haven't disappointed you and we'll try to make everything up to you guys with several new chapters. So don't forget to comment and let us know as soon as you can if you want your OC in this story. Thank you all! You guys are the best!

 **THIS STORY IS STILL OPEN FOR OCS! MAKE SURE TO COMMENT ON YOUR CHARACTERS SPOT IN THE STORY.** Thank you.


	4. LAST IMPORTANT UPDATE!

_IMPORTANT UPDATE: MUST READ!_

 _Waterlilies and Lunairia:_

Wow, so where do we even begin? Honestly, we can't even express how terribly sorry we are for making you wait for literally forever. Real life really kicked us to the curb. Lunairia has been swamped with work and RL just didn't want to be kind to either of us for a while. I found out several long months ago that I have a disease that started to make me extremely sick, to the point where I had to miss several months of college and even quit my job, which I had alluded to before in my last update, but I didn't really want to discuss in a public update. Though now, In the time we've been gone I underwent two surgeries that I'm still in the process of recovering from, but I can finally say I'm feeling so much better and ready to take back my life. The whole recovering process was horrible at the beginning but I'm definitely improving with every day and I'm thrilled to come back to this story which we both love so much. I've started working again and caught back up in school and I'm so glad to be back. Again, we're so sorry for putting this off but we're definitely back to stay. Lunairia and I have so much planned, and we hope you guys will give us yet another chance that we don't deserve. So please, let us know in a review or PM of who is still in this for the very last time. We hope all of you are willing to come back, but we completely understand if you've all moved on from this. If that's the case, then we'll open the story again up for submissions to fill in the gaps of missing ocs. Just let us know, please! Thank you guys for everything, your support, and faith in us has really kept this story alive and made me so excited to recover and come back. Thank you!

 _So again, for the last time...Who is involved in this?:_

Please comment in a review or PM us and let us know who still wants to be in the story. We have a final list of accepted OCs ready, but with whoever comments, this will be the deciding factor of who's OCs are accepted. So please let us know if you're still in. That goes for anyone. If you haven't even sent in an OC yet then go right ahead, this story is still open. So please comment as soon as you can and let us know so we can start wrapping this up. Thanks to everyone who has stayed with us through this long wait, we cannot thank you enough for your patience with us and this story. I hope we haven't disappointed you and we'll try to make everything up to you guys with several new chapters. So don't forget to comment and let us know as soon as you can if you want your OC in this story. Thank you all! You guys are the best!

THIS STORY IS STILL OPEN FOR OCS! MAKE SURE TO COMMENT ON YOUR CHARACTERS SPOT IN THE STORY. Thank you.


	5. Accepted Character List and Roster

Hey again everyone! We have yet another update and a very important one at that.

We really want to thank everyone who has sent in an OC and shown interest in our SYOC. We're so thankful and really amazed at the amount of wonderful and diverse OCs we've received. Thank you guys so much, you all outdid yourselves! We don't deserve all of this amazing support, you all have hung in here through everything and we are truly grateful. I hope we can really show you guys how much you all mean to us with this story and don't disappoint you all too much. Thank you again, I will never stop thanking you all. Your reviews and PMs mean everything and keep us going. Thank you.

We decided to update with this list thanks to the idea of the lovely, _PSISomething_. Here is the list below of all of the OCs we have so far, just to give you all an idea of who might be in what class and so on. This page will be updated pretty regularly.

Thanks again sweeties and please, message me first if you have any questions!

( **Just a quick note. We want everyone to know that if your OC is accepted in general, no matter the position, we will try to give you guys a good amount of screen time, so please don't fret. This will be a pretty lengthy story so everyone will get their time.** )

 _ **Student submissions are CLOSED for the moment, but villains are still open. We'll let you guys know if any spots open up. Thanks!**_

* * *

 **Class Roster (Chosen OCs) -**

Class 1-B-

 **Otsuka Miu** \- Bloody Mary - created by **_Kuroi Bara-676_** \- _Quirk_ : Blood Manipulation and Crystallization - 5'1, skinny malnourished build with above average assets, light pink upturned eyes, silvery blonde shoulder-length wavy hair usually in half-up do, permanent blush on face and chest, numerous scars ranging in placement, light brown skin.

 **Kawachi Pompom** \- Cutie Punch - created by **_JackHammerMan_** \- _Quirk:_ Anchor Arms - 4'10 without standing on arms but 5'11 while standing on them, small and petite body with flat chest and small assets but huge hulking veiny muscular arms of 250lbs each, hexagonal blue gem-like eyes, light blue hair styled into two braided pigtails with a hello kitty hair clip, braces with blue bands, hot pink tinted skin tone.

 **Ryuji Izunia** \- Vamp - created by **_PartyNoF-OvaHere_** \- _Quirk:_ Blood Manipulation - 5'8, lean built body type, mismatched green and brown eyes but covers his green one with a brown color contact, long combed back brown hair, many scars along his wrist, pale skin.

 **Akashi Ryota** \- Red Zone - created by **_HotSoup2017_** \- _Quirk:_ Switch -5'8, lean-agile build, intense red eyes, spiky red hair, ikemen/shoujo manga boy looks, air of superiority, pale skin.

 **Minami Suzaku** \- Phoenix - created by **_Blue-Black Flames_** \- _Quirk:_ Rebound - 5'5, toned-bordering muscular build and average sized assets, hazel eyes, waist-length layered wavy strawberry blonde hair, half-Scandinavian and half-Japanese, pale skin with faintly pink cheeks.

 **Kurokawa Makoto** \- Penman - created by **_ItsANewDawn_** \- _Quirk:_ Ink Manipulation - 5'7, slim build, black eyes, pitch black straight/spiky hair a strand that falls in the middle of his face and strands that frame the sides. tattoos covering his almost his whole body with one prominent one under his left eye, pale skin.

 **Ritsuo Kiyobi** \- Fox Fire - (co-author's oc) - _Quirk_ : Will-o-Wisp - 5'9, thin runner's build, grey deep-set eyes, light blonde mid-back length slightly curly hair, pulled into a ponytail, feminine facial features, a round mole on right side of his head near his temple, pale skin.  


 **Shozo Nyoko** \- Outbreak - created by **_PSISomething_** \- _Quirk_ : Plague - 5'8, slender feminine yet athletic figure, brown eyes, dark blue hair styled into a bob cut combed over to the right side of her head, hanging over her right eye slightly, always wears a light green colored gas mask mouthpiece, yellow tanned skin.

 **Kokichi Serabara** \- War Riot - created by **_NitroTheKidd88_** \- _Quirk:_ Catharsis - 5'10, gangly and sickly-looking build, pale blue eyes, unkempt and sloppy white hair, dividing at his face in fringes reaching almost to his shoulders, pale skin.

 **Jeffrey Mortimer** \- Corvid - created by **_DarkJeneral_** \- _Quirk:_ Corvid - 5'8, well defined muscular build, slanted black eyes, straight but short black hair, numerous scars ranging in placement and two prominent on back where is wings grow, tattoo of a raven on right shoulder, pale skin.

 **Hattori Kumori** \- Arachne - created by **_MysteryAgain_** \- _Quirk:_ Spider Silk - 5'7, slender build, three pairs of solid purple eyes, white mid-back length hair held back in twintails with black bows, her nails done with black or other dark colors, sharp teeth, pale skin.

 **Watanabe Kaiya** \- Aerial - (author's oc) - _Quirk:_ Air Manipulation - 5'5, slender and toned body with slightly above average assets, sharp grey eyes with long eyelashes, medium length lavender hair that's a few inches below shoulderblades with bangs usually styled in bun or ponytail, wears light makeup, fair skin.

 **Kiryoke Ryoku** \- Susanno-o - created by **_alucard deathsinger_** \- _Quirk:_ Phantasia - 5'5, lean and small build with light muscles, dark brown almost black eyes, short black neatly combed hair, unassuming appearance, pale skin.

 **Gracelynn Mizumi** \- Swordswoman Decantess - created by **_ManofPewter_** \- _Quirk:_ Aqua form - 4'10, very skinny frame, deep blue eyes with a constant sorrowful expression, straight dark blue hair with a fringe, lightly freckled, pale skin.

 **Tatsuma** **Michiko** \- Dracana - created by **_IcyHeart12_** \- _Quirk:_ Dragon Changer - 5'6, hourglass figure with slightly above average assets, round face, golden eyes, long and bushy silver hair reaching mid-back, two scars crossing over her left eye forming an X, pale skin.

 **Enerugi Nemuro** \- Exhaurio - created by **_HotSoup2017_ \- **_Quirk:_ Drain Touch - 6'2, thin build, droopy silver eyes with dark circles underneath, purple smooth and straight medium length hair, has the permanent appearance of someone who hasn't slept in years, very pale skin.

* * *

Class 1-A -

Kazuma Akashi - Echo - created by _Flaming Fate Zero_

Scott Alexie/ Subarashī Hiro - Dreamer - created by _ tinycolossus_

Oboru Namikawa - Jetstream - (co-authors oc)

Sasame Airi - Ropette - created by _SoffThePropp_

Yamamura Reizo - Enma - created by _PainX65_

Maekawa-Aromdee Esme - Capricorn - created by _Kuroi Bara-676_

Daisuke Abe - Reaper - created by _bucarcar_

Shishigami Dante - Dante - created by _HotSoup2017_

Ishida Shiro - Tempest - created by _ItsANewDawn_

Komurasaki Yuki - Mistaplace - created by _kazumiokazaki_

Moichi Akayamo - Beacon - created by _Smithy55_

Meredith Ixin - Inveigler - created by _DeathDealer Inc_

Ryuuga Kobayashi - Sahara - created by _Ultimate Hunter X_

Kazana Tachibora - Compound - created by _BigCityCaptain_

Akashiro Rina - Twisted Tresses - created by _PeachSkies  
_

Reyes Coco - Ocelote - created by _PSISomething_

* * *

Villains -

Sado Nejireta - Breakdown - created by _Red Reef_

Yozaki Torabiru- Bakeneko - (co-author's oc)

Koko Sakamoto - Human Angler Fish - _MaNaemEjEff_

Saiki Seishin - Hemlock - created by _ ItsANewDawn_

Tsume Kugiyama - Apex - created by _Big M0ist_

Simon Peter Iscariot - The Saviour - created by _Dogtimus_

Akiyama Kaho - Picturesque - created by _LinIsSleepy  
_

Erika Crowe - Drag - created by _DeathDealer Inc_

* * *

Teachers/Staff/Pro-Heroes -

 **Yamashi Akayo** \- Bright Lord - created by **_JackHammerMan_** Quirk: Luminescent. Yamashi's entire body is engulfed in a bright light at all times! Due to this, you can't see any of his physical features! Though, that's one of the reasons why he wears his knight's armor.

Yashiru Kosenzu -Healing Phoenix (co-author's oc)

Ononoku Sumie - Spectra - created by _k _a_ zumiokazaki_

Theodore Amos - Watchdog - created by _DeathDealer Inc_


	6. Ch 1 Part 1: Spotlight

**LunairiaBlaze** : **We were finally able to finish polishing off this chapter, hopefully, you all really enjoy it. We are also taking into account the reviews we received for the prologue and have changed a few things to hopefully accommodate that. This is only the first part of the opening arc so if you do not see your oc here, do not panic, they will appear in the next section.**

 **Hello, dears! Oh my gosh, it's finally here! The first part of chapter one is READY. It seriously feels like we'd never have this day lol, but we're so pumped for this. Like you guys don't have any idea how pumped we are. xD LunairiaBlaze and I would like to thank all of everyone again for being so supportive and sticking by us through rough times to make it to here. You guys are all truly wonderful people that we are so honored to share a part of this with. This is for you! Seriously, thank you all from the bottoms of our hearts. You guys make everything so much better. We can never thank you enough. (virtual hugs!) And bless you all for your sweet reviews, you literally made both of us tear up with your kindness. UGH YOU GUYS! YOU'RE THE BEST XD**

 **We're still going over every OC, so keep checking the roster list to see if your oc was chosen. We will update that regularly. We keep receiving more and more characters, and with work this past week, we haven't been able to read through everyone yet, but please don't worry, we WILL get back to everyone asap. That being said, I personally have several PMs that I haven't been able to answer back, but I'm working on that right now. I'm so sorry if any of you felt left out from my neglect, and please don't think I don't love you all! 3 I'm going through all of my PMs now, so please be patient with me one last time! Again, I'm very sorry. Work has been literal crap this week for the both of us.**

 **Please excuse our mistakes, yet again lol, we have been perfecting this chapter for a long time, and we hope our work reflects that. This is an intro to several OCs, but like Lunairia said, if you don't see your oc here, then please wait for part two. Cramming too many characters in at once isn't really our style, so we tried to keep things as cohesive as possible.**

 **Let us know what you think of it! Maybe the chapter is too long? Needs some work? Just let us know in a review below. :)**

 **Disclaimer - We do not own My Hero Academia. This story is merely a work of fiction.**

 **Rating - M - for graphic scenes of violence, horrific events, death, murder, language, angst, etc.**

 **Warnings - THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS MILD SCENES OF VIOLENCE AND ADULT LANGUAGE. You have been warned. Please read at your own discretion. Turn back now if this is not for you.**

* * *

 **Chapter One Part One:**

 **Spotlight**

 _ **Present day- Entrance Exam**_

 _ **Location: Sector Xyz**_

The buzzer signifying the start of the entrance exam had gone off nearly edging on ten minutes ago. You would assume that would be the opportune moment to rack up some points, to plow ahead of the crowd and try to fight off as many robots as possible while impressing the judges. And yet he still hadn't scored a single point for himself, or even tried to get into anyone's way - let alone plow through the crowd. Even the thought of being noticed or taking someone's points made him sick to his stomach. But much to his own anxiety, he hadn't defeated a single robot, meaning: he hadn't even earned any points. The worries in the back of Ryoku's mind are glaringly apparent as he feels his chest thumping hard with a strong feeling he recognizes as dread.

 _Will I even pass? Should I even be here in the first place?_ His bitter thoughts only increased the dread. Maybe it was foolish to think he stood a chance in the first place. For one, he could almost guarantee he passed the written portion - _at least I have that going for me, maybe_... That was probably the only thought that kept him going right now besides this hurrying up and being over.

But he was starting to feel like maybe he wasn't hero material… If this is what made you a hero then perhaps he wasn't meant to be one after all.

Ryoku was pretty unassuming compared to the other examinees, what with his thin and lanky frame, small size and naturally dark hair. He was average, at best, nothing special. He stumbled around clumsily - shyly - afraid to get in anyone's way. Others might've even pegged him as pathetic, he knew this, and he couldn't really blame them for their rude sneers or the pity in some looks thrown his way. Every other guy towered over him in height, and he could swear more than half of the females in his sector were taller than him as well. Even his outfit was on the underrated side, simple red shirt paired with thin black track pants. It was meant to be a test, not a fashion contest, so he hadn't bothered to put a lot of effort into his appearance and maybe that would make him less likely of a target.

It was almost as if he planned for it to be that way; being less noticeable since he wanted to avoid most of the robots. Ryoku had tried, _really did try_ , to fight the very first robots he saw, but the machines were never alone. Always traveling in groups and forcing him to hide off somewhere safer. He knew that alone, he couldn't defeat them but he had found something else to occupy his time with during those moments.

While the dark-haired boy wouldn't fight the robots on his own - he was way too scared for that - he didn't hesitate too much when it came to helping others escape or distract the things when fellow examinees were in danger. His quirk made it somewhat easy; using the ethereal hands crafted by his quirk, Ryoku was able to knock the machines off course with random shoves or even by tossing broken metal pieces at them. He didn't even have to be within arm's length of the things to be able to inflict damage - much to his relief.

Though, it was almost naive of him to think that he'd be getting out of this exam by merely hiding and saving others. He knew this, had gone in knowing it was probably impossible, but at the back of his mind, he couldn't help the small sliver of hope that kept him pushing forward with his luck. Until he was to the point of actually forgetting he was supposed to be doing anything besides helping others.

' _Just maybe I can do this on my own,_ ' Ryoku thought uncharacteristically confident, a small smile gracing his face as he pushed forward, dodging an onslaught of students and robots engaged in combat using his small size to his advantage - just coming off of the adrenaline rush of saving yet another student.

He pushed forward on thin legs, moving as quickly as his lithe body allowed towards a defenseless student, frozen in fear with a one-meter bot closing in on him. ' _Oh no, this doesn't look good,_ ' Ryoku worried with a frown, heart hammering and breath wavering but pushed to get closer. ' _I have to jump in_.'

This looks like an acceptable distance, Ryoku stopped about three feet away and activated his quirk in a split second. Ethereal glowing, phantom hands shot out from the boy, ' _What to do, what to do?_ '

His mind worked at twice the speed, eyes scanning over the area around him for any salvageable item, a way out - until something lit up his vision, _ahh perfect!_ Ryoku cheered in relief and carefully maneuvered the ghost-like appendages to toss a pretty good sized shard of glass paneling from a robots headpiece. Ryoku watched as the boy jumped out of the way just as the panel smashed through the army green metal chest plate of the beast. With a gaping hole through its body, the robot teetered and fell over, successfully disabling it.

' _Yes_!' Ryoku mentally cheered, this was his seventh save of the day, and honestly he was started to get a little tired. All of this extra excursion of his quirk was slowly running his body down. With the tell-tell slight ache of an oncoming migraine pulling at the back of his head and his stomach protesting with lack of nutrients that he had wasted on activating his quirk so many times, he grit his teeth - would no doubt finish pretty soon. But the rush made a grin form on his pale face, lighting up his common features, his heart soaring and leaving him feeling light as air.

 _Man, if this is what a hero feels like, I never want to stop_ , Ryoku thought through the rush of emotions tugging at his chest.

Dropping the mental pull of his phantom hands creation, he wiped the sweat from his brow and ignored the pain in his head to turn to the other boy with an exhausted smile. The examinee quickly bowed to a flustered Ryoku, murmuring his thanks before slipping off again.

A weird embarrassed pang left him speechless, and he could feel the wave of heat that washed his cheeks in color - a blush, he thought offhandedly, not just the flush of exhaustion. Ryoku raked a hand through his dark, messy hair, staring off after the other in a fluster, not used to this attention at all. His whole body ached like he had been run over by a truck, but- _I'm never going to get used to these thanks_ , he laughed to himself, a bubbly yet quiet sound. He loved this. He truly loved this feeling under the ache. He felt alive, for the first time in forever.

A particularly loud blast filled the air and brought Ryoku back to reality. _Oh no, how long have I been lost in my own world?_ He panicked, eyes widening before he turned around to get moving again.

But it was already far too late.

His face smacked right into a solid surface, army green filling his senses. Ryoku yelped, leaping backward like he had been burned, throwing a hand over his now throbbing nose. Pain washed over him, but that wasn't all - "Oh no..." he trailed off, gaze trailing upwards to the tower in front of him.

That was when he realized he had managed to become surrounded. His breath caught in his throat, blood in his veins turning rapidly into ice at the realization. He felt cold, numb - terrified. Everywhere he turned, robots both small and large had begun to emerge from alleys and fake shops in the city. The examinee he had saved earlier was nowhere to be found as if the other teen had only stuck around long enough to thank him and then take off to score more points of their own. Now he was stuck with nothing to do but shrink in on himself in hopes that someone would repay the favor and rescue him. Why and how had he managed even to get himself into this situation?

* * *

The instructors lined up to watch the scene on display with bemused smiles on their faces. The room was a bit crowded with the clunky, muscular frames of heroes who were eager to witness firsthand the protection of the future. This year's candidates seemed promising, and several students outshone their peers. Though despite their promise of power and strength, what lay ahead of them might be more than these mere beginners could chew and these "good guys" took some sick pleasure in watching the outcome.

Displayed on the small screen off to the right of the impressive wall of monitors, an average sized teen with a head of wayward long, bushy silver hair was blinking her golden eyes between the test bots surrounding her and unbeknownst to her, earning the gaze of every person in the room. She was the current source of fascination of the instructors, one of the students who brimmed from the get-go with talent.

A plain white t-shirt clung to Tatsuma's torso, and black yoga pants accented her hourglass frame with matching monochrome sneakers. Never one truly worried about fashion, she almost regretted her choice of clothing due to the stark white and grey backdrop of walls from the faux cityscape. Although her bright, fiercely sharp, fiery orbs helped her stand out. Gold embers burning hot under the prominent scars crisscrossing to form a perfect 'X' over her left eye would make her blend in just as much as a bright red crayon in a box of white. So, despite her thoughts, the instructors wouldn't have a difficult time making her out amongst the crowd of examinees.

Her pale face would be considered sharply attractive if it weren't for the unamused sneer on it as she deftly transformed her body with practiced ease mid-run, eyes dead set on the scene happening before her. She had just wholly obliterated three robots at once, something she felt very smug about, but god, it seemed like she couldn't cut a break. _Could no one do anything without her? And these trainees called themselves 'future heroes'? As if_ , she scoffed, rolling her eyes but not slowing down even for a second.

' _Figures_ ,' Tatsuma irritably huffed, eyes locking on her target, body morphing in seconds that felt like years.

Scale-like patterns appear on her pale skin, swallowing up the porcelain into crimson scales all over her arms and legs, down to her hands. Golden ember-like scales trailed down her neck, peeking out of the material of her t-shirt. Tatsuma's fiery pupils turned to slits framed by a rim of red scales around her eyes, with the rest of her face remaining starkly pale.

Her scar practically glowed with an ethereal crimson light matching the large red wings with gold membranes on her back. Sharp red horns peaked out from her fluffy curtain of silver hair, as a red blade-like tail, gold underside, swished dangerously behind her.

Immediately, she skidded to a halt near the half circle of robots that surrounded a boy of the same height as herself who cowered pathetically to the metal forms. His body trembled with fear, sweat dripping from his dark, messy mop of hair down his face and soaking his shirt. _What the hell was he doing? Fucking fight!_ She mentally screamed at him before launching forward.

Tatsuma didn't even waste a second thought, her body lurching into action into the boy's place. On instinct, she threw an arm over his skinny torso as a makeshift shield and without even a glance, voice gruffly barking out, "stay back!" that was met with a small yelp from deep within the boy's throat.

Her jaw unhinged itself, letting a shower of bright flames bathe the robots, eyes lighting up in amusement when the metal creaked loudly and melted from an intimidating solid form into a large puddle on the ground. Tatsuma didn't even hold back the smug grin on her face as she heard Ryoku let a gasp of surprise fall from his lips.

Another didn't even have the chance to train it's red eye on her before the dragon girl breathed her deadly quirk of fire, reducing him to nothing. When she dubbed it safe, she quickly took a step back, clamping her mouth shut with a soft click of her teeth as she took in breaths of fresh air through her nose.

This exam was too easy, way too easy and she could feel herself getting bored. How was she supposed to show everyone that he was the best of the best with a weak exam like this? This was far below her level. Almost an insult to her skills! The exam had just started, not more than ten minutes ago and from the alarm, Tatsuma had busted right out ahead of everyone else and took out more than a fourth of the medium sized robots that surrounded the empty city. She had heard that this was supposed to be challenging. This was an exam, wasn't it? So where the hell was the challenge?

The silver-haired girl didn't waste a second to round on the other teen.

"Hey kid, if you're going to be taking these exams shouldn't you be a bit more serious than just standing there like an idiot? If you can't even defeat a robot how do you expect to become a hero?" Tatsuma said with a scowl, turning to train her fierce glare on the pale face of the other, followed by a murmur of, "I guess they let all kinds of people into these things huh," that was more to herself than anything else, but Ryoku heard it nonetheless.

He shrunk under the weight of her stare, the scary slits for pupils feeling more like he was tossed headfirst into a fire rather than staring into the eyes of a female examiner.

 _Well, her quirk definitely suited her, that's for sure_ , he thought with a breath of awe.

She was mean and even scary, but Tatsuma had a point, how could he hope to become a hero when he was too scared to fight the baddies right away? Sure, he had started helping others, but that was only after he had gotten tired of running away. It makes him lower his head in shame, eyes downcast and staring at the broken concrete littered with metal, heart clenching in his chest. He couldn't come up with a response right away, but he did spot something else.

The shadow of another large robot as it approached the dragon girl. His heart hammered in his chest, a now familiar rush of adrenaline pumping through his veins and feeding his fire. ' _I have to save her_!' repeated itself over and over in his mind.

She had narrowed her eyes more at him, ready to ask if he were so scared that he lost his voice, only to be interrupted by the small boy. A quick shout of "look out!" Before Tatsuma hears the sound of a robot smashed away. It was possibly worth two points, slammed into a nearby wall by a surreal hand as it lay in a crumpled heap.

Blood pumping wildly, Ryoku makes the mistake of smiling after taking the robot out. He was only glad that he was able to save the girl from possibly getting hurt while yelling at him.

Tatsuma, however, read the situation entirely differently.

His heart sinks when he catches the look that darkens her sharp features, causing him to gulp and the fear from before to lodge itself back into his stomach. She snarls at Ryoku, reminding him of a wild animal that was fighting to protect its territory. Hardened embers for eyes bore into the boy with anger so intense; it could have been confused for hate. Like fire roaring from deep within just before it came to the surface.

"Are you serious right now?! You sit there bumbling around like an idiot just to wait for a chance to make yourself feel like a hero by pretending to be useful? Don't go grinning like you did anything special, runt! I could have handled that thing in my sleep; one smash with my tail, and it'd have been gone." Tatsuma finishes with a bark. Lip curled up in the nastiest snarl he had ever seen in his life.

Ryoku is taken aback by the harshness of the girl, reeling back as if she had slapped him. Feeling, in his weak heart, like she had done just that.

"O-ooh, no, no, no! I um-um didn't mean that at all, I was -" Ryoku rushes to stuttered out, but Tatsuma's harsh laugh cuts him off. He shuts his mouth with a small snap, eyes wide before she puts a hand up and promptly sneers at him, eyes displaying utter disgust like he was the gum stuck to the bottom of her sneaker.

"Save it, coward. I don't have time for this. I need to be winning, not wasting all of my energy on useless runts like you." And with that, she turns on her heels and sprints away, leaving Ryoku flustered and guilty as her mean words replay themselves over in his head.

* * *

The instructors catch sight of their first applicant using a non-brawler type quirk in the form of a male student sporting gently curled blonde hair pulled into a low ponytail, falling to about mid back and grey eyes. He was dressed in brown cargo pants, a white T-shirt with a golden starburst design in the center, a brown button up shirt thrown over it like a jacket and white sneakers. The blonde haired boy was distinctly hard to miss, standing out like a golden sore thumb in the midst of the crowd with his mischievous aura.

From the get-go, the lanky, fox-like boy runs loosely, a wild smile on his feminine features, chest pounding with excitement. He promptly ignores any other teen in his way, even going as far to almost barrel into a few of them, just snickering when they shout back at him.

This was his element, his field and he was itching to show what he could do.

Seemingly taunting the robots, Ritsuo waits like a matador for the one-point machines to charge at him, his small pink lips still pulled into a grin. Only when it seemed like each one would be able to run him down or attack with their shield like arm, he moves into action. The blond quickly steps to the side, just barely avoiding the swing from the machine.

"Ah hah, you were close that time buddy!" He chuckles to himself and doesn't give it a chance to make another charge, jumping to retaliate. Ritsuo's right arm juts out to reach behind the shield, and instantly, his ivory palms glow a soft blue before a similarly colored ball of flame quickly eats away at the thin arm-like structure.

The shield does the rest of the work for Ritsuo as he steps back, watching the weight cause the whole arm to clatter to the ground. Another playful grin makes its way to Ritsuo's face; the robots may be tough on the outside, but one smart move and they were nothing but junk. ' _Hah, I could do this with my eyes closed! So much for a challenge_ ,' he happily muses before slipping his hand through his light-colored locks.

All he had to do was effectively put them out of commission, and this would be a piece of cake. _I'll for sure be a U.A. student by the end of these last few minutes!_ The blonde thought wistfully before he turns and leaves the machine where it continued to struggle back into a moving stance.

Off-balance by its drastic change in weight; it wouldn't be doing any harm to anyone. He'd done the same to a few other robots earlier, and it honestly felt like a game to him at this point. _Who knew the entrance exam would be such a walk in the park?_ He thinks, smirking to himself.

There was another two-pointer that Ritsuo spots, currently the target of another candidate but that doesn't stop the lanky boy. He sprints after them, cutting in front of the girl, both hands jutting out as his palms glow a bright blue just before twin balls of flame burst out. The robot didn't stand a chance, a mini explosion from the flames decimates the top half of its body.

The blond laughs giddily after the girl yells at him for snatching her points, turning on his heels to skip backward as his sticks his tongue out at her. He was taunting her now, wiggling his fingers with his thumbs in his ears. _Don't know why you're getting so mad. I just saved you….not! God, I can't even lie in my head._

Caught up in his imaginary game of hopping from robot to robot, Ritsuo fails to notice the medium sized scrap metal plate on the street until he's tripping over it. Tumbling down to just barely land on his hands and knees, somehow catching the brunt of the fall.

 _Damn it, who put that there? My poor body is going to be hella sore by the end of this now._ Ritsuo whines to himself, and by the time he's turned himself over, a three-pointer is bearing down on him, the metallic humming almost menacing. Well, he thinks, mind flashing abruptly with fear, so much for this exam being all fun and games. Not when karma gets me good like this.

He only manages a whimper just before he catches movement behind the robot. Ritsuo wanted to smile in relief at the familiar face but keeps it to himself, who knew if the robot was smart enough to notice him relaxing. Better safe than sorry, right? Didn't want to add to the danger.

The source of movement turns out to be a male student with brown hair curled in tight ringlets that reach to his ears. He was dressed in red shorts with dark burgundy swirl patterns on the sides, a matching red T-shirt and red and white laceless shoes. His quirk was already plenty obvious as a mutation thanks to the large, feathered wings adorning his back. More feathers were located around his neck and forearms while his hands ended in talons.

The "savior" doesn't hesitate for a second, slamming a taloned hand into the robots' head. The metal warps and squeals as the talons cut through it as easily as a can opener, sparks flying from the destroyed portions. Too easy of a takedown in the brunette's mind but that was just fine. Ritsuo dusts himself off, a huge grin of relief taking over his face. Boy, was he glad to see the other teen! For a second he was worried he'd have to use that to save himself; that would have been a significant pain- literally.

The blond gets to his feet, suddenly wondering if Oboru had seen him trip and he bats his eyelashes at the other boy, his clasped hands by his cheek, "my hero, I knew you'd come to save me~."

If he did happen to see Ritsuo's screw up, the blond hoped that by being cute enough he could get out of a lecture. No such luck on that though, the brunette was never one for cute acts.

Oboru scowls from beneath his chestnut hair, revealing a nose that ended in a small, hooked beak, "knock it off and focus on getting points! You do want to get into U.A, don't you? If I hadn't turned the corner when I did, you would have gotten hurt too."

Clearly, the brunette was so not interested in the 'pretty' boy's games, absolute focus was necessary. If he kept messing around not only would he possibly fail, but Oboru couldn't always hang around him to help out. They needed to get into the academy with their separate power. Not every hero is going to have someone come in to back them up at the last second. And Oboru wouldn't be any different! He can't give his school friend further aiding, no matter how much cuteness the blonde boy would dish out.

Ritsuo casually shrugs, voice a calm tone, but his grey eyes sparkled with mirth, "can't blame a guy for trying. Also, you should lighten up a bit. I've gotten plenty of points by now." Ritsuo finishes by lightly punching the other boy on his left arm which only makes the brunette scowl.

Oboru finally sighs and with a resounding nod, already turning on his heel, his mind working on how much time he had left to score big and floating away from thoughts of the smaller boy. With the blond safe, he could move deeper into the city. Ritsuo, however, pouts at the shift of attention. ' _Aww, he's going to leave now? We could make the perfect team up_.'

Oboru makes to sprint off when he feels a hand grab his own and he instinctively pulls away, his eyes hard again as he gives the blond a firm look, "later! Ritz, you know now's not the time for things like that." The other boy pokes his bottom lip out causing Oboru to groan; was he really pouting right now? Oboru looks ready to say something before turning and taking off, making sure not to look at Ritsuo again. If he did, he knew he'd give into those puppy eyes, but the exam always came first.

* * *

In a tight, faux city alley, angry blue irises surrounded by black sclera glare at the defeated machines from under the fringe of sloppily divided white hair, shoulders heaving with heavy breaths. Finally, he managed to catch a lull in between fights. ' _Fuck, how long until this shit is over?_ ' Kokichi wonders with a strong sense of annoyance, dropping his hands onto the rough fabric of his jeans, wiping a mix of blood and sweat on the denim.

A bright red haze - almost thick like a cloud of blood and just as dangerous - surrounded Kokichi's body visible to those nearest him. His quirk was only edging on the brink of stage two, and he honestly didn't want to go past that. He could feel the familiar tugging in his chest at full force now, the feeling he'd been forcing down while fending off robots. But now that he was still it all hit him like a tidal wave, full force and in a breath-taking, lung-crushing rush. The back of his mind is pressing in on him, body wavering, fighting with him - _against him_ \- mind whispering, just another stage, Kokichi, but no.

Kokichi's hands fly to the crown of his head, and immediately he grabs fist fulls of light straight strands in a death grip. The pain barely registers over the whirlwind of the real fight going down in his mind. ' _No, no, no no, fuck! No, shut up, just stop it!_ ' He roughly hisses to himself through gritted teeth as mild panic sets in and he tries to get a grip on himself helplessly. He would not give in, not right now. _Don't you fucking do it, Kokichi. Not while you're trying to show U.A., you are worth picking as a student._ White teeth bit down on the sensitive skin of the inside of his cheek, keeping himself from fading away with the voices in his head. He needed to stay at stage two to rationalize, something that was necessary for these exams. He couldn't - wouldn't - let himself go up another stage.

He finds his hands letting up their grip until they fall limply at his sides. The white-haired teen already knew he was reckless at this point like an animal let out of its cage to wander into freedom for the first time. Pupils dilated and breath coming out in rushed angry puffs. Far past the point of irritation and stepping into a more heated state. But, by God, he needed to be sane for this.

It takes all of his willpower for Kokichi to turn himself around and force his legs to move again. He couldn't just stand here all day long and bathe in his inner demons, or that would make it worse. The teen needed to keep going, ignore the feelings piling up and focus on the matter at hand and his chosen memory.

 _Come on. You can do this, find some more targets._ Kokichi determinedly moves, rounding the corner which leads him to enter an intersection bringing him deeper into the city. Blue and black eyes scan the desolate streets until - there's one, he thought with a smirk.

The second a test robot appears in his field of vision, Kokichi pounces on it and beats it to near scrap metal with vicious punches and kicks of a blatant show of power. The lanky boy's chest heaved with labored breaths but more so due to anger than exhaustion. His fighting style was notably similar to Tatsuma's only in that it was more reckless and purely physical. Using sheer emotions to pull on unmeasurable strength. It was as if the boy was fighting with sheer anger instead of arrogance.

 _Stay angry, keep that image in mind and show these guys you're a beast. Don't let go of this feeling._ He growls to himself like a silent mantra, the red haze wavering just before it strengthens again.

The white-haired teen's long and skinny torso is covered by a white tank top that clung to him with a thin layer of sweat that seemed to rustle unnaturally as if manipulated by a faint breeze on his mile long, gangly legs. Shrapnel littered the floor around him like a junkyard, leading to him like a trail from the alley to the intersection reminding him of his many defeats already. _Had it really been that many already?_ Fuck, why couldn't he even remember?

His thin lips fall into a flat frown as his frantic eyes trace over the concrete. He knew he was doing good so far, something he wasn't surprised about in the first place, but he just wished there was a different way to go about it. That same thought never left Kokichi and instead seemed to be on constant repeat.

The same image he always tried to focus on playing through his mind again, flashing over and over until it was burned into his mind's eye forever: A woman's nasty sneering face, hard lines rough with raw emotion; or the same woman with her lip curled in disgust, head wrenched back and eyes swirling with something dark. Rage? Hate? All bubbling up and tipping him over the surface, igniting the own fire that made a home within his chest.

The images makes Kokichi stomp on the remaining scraps of a three-pointer, the flickering red glass eyes breaking like eggshells under his sneakers before he runs out of the inner section. He feels a growl making its way to his throat, he wasn't keeping track of his score at all, but he should have had more than enough points by now. Kokichi lets his shoulders droop into a slump at the realization, hands finding their way in his pockets as he takes in the area around him.

His blue and black eyes travel to another student not too far away, dressed in a purple muscle shirt, fitted just as slim tight as the jeans on his legs; a studded black belt and purple converse finished his outfit. Kokichi watches for half a second before dismissing the teen just as quickly. However, it was enough for him to notice the strange red lance in the boy's hand.

The instructors were faintly surprised to realize the red weapon was most likely created from the blood of the dark brown haired wielder. Wow, a blood quirk, that's rare, Kokicki blinks in awe. Ryuji thrusts the lance into the midsections of two one-point robots gouging them like Swiss cheese. His green eyes roam the field until he spotted the lanky boy being stalked by a one point machine. With his aggressive attention focused on two other one-pointers, Kokichi fails to notice the one behind him until it was too late.

He didn't think he should be doing this while in the middle of an exam, but Ryuji also couldn't just stand by and do nothing. The guy was in trouble and damn. He wasn't heartless! He couldn't just ignore it and walk away while the robot most likely attacks the white-haired teen caught off guard. Even if it hindered his score, he wouldn't be able to deal with the guilt if someone got hurt right in front of him because he neglected to do anything. There was even the off chance that this in itself was a test; to separate those that only focused on their own points and turned a blind eye to those in danger. So hey, win, win, right?

Ryuji returns his lance to blood, absorbing it through the cut on his wrist before cupping his hands around his mouth, "Hey! Watch out - behind you!" He shouts out. A slightly worried tinge pitches his tone, voice thankfully reaching over the chaos.

Kokichi whirls around and in one fluid movement splits the robot in half with a savage spin-kick. _Well fuck. Never mind then_ , Ryuji chuckles with mild shock as he watches the other boy promptly take down the thing without any struggle. At least he seemed to be doing just fine on his own.

Ryuji startles out of his own thoughts by a snapping voice. "Mind your own business. I didn't need your help!" His angry eyes bore into Ryuji as he snarls at him, stomping away before the other boy even gets a chance to reply. Ryuji stares after him, mouth agape before quickly snapping it back shut and clears his throat to righten himself.

Kokichi mentally flinches at his biting reply as he runs farther and farther away from the other. That's not at all what he wanted to say to the other boy - like not at all. A groan falls travels up his throat and falls from his lips. He would need to apologize to the Ryuji after the exam is done and properly thank him for the warning. Once again, Kokichi wishes he was able to take this exam a different way, but life had a sick sense of humor. If it weren't for his quirk….but he couldn't dwell on that now, what was done was done, and he'd have to settle for apologizing later.

Ryuji runs a hand through his long hair, pushing it further back into the neatly combed style, a bit shocked at the attitude he received. But hey, he knew how much pride could go into situations like this. Everyone wanted to show U.A. how strong they could be. Needing help with an entrance exam would only make them look bad. So could he blame the weird guy for flipping out? _Nah_ , he shook his head with a laugh, he couldn't put that on him. They were here to compete, and there wasn't anything in the rules about making friends. More like, avoid each other at all costs so you can gain more points without the hassle. He mentally excuses Kokichi's behavior for the time being. It could have been worse and honestly, no harm done. And hey, he did succeed in helping the white-haired boy either way which was what counted in the end. Ryuji shakes his head of long dark hair, brushing a few wayward strands out of his line of eyesight and pushes onward.

 _Time to finish this exam with flying colors!_ Ryuji thrusts his fist in the air with a small smile, before taking off down the street and back into the rush.

* * *

 **- _End Chapter One Part One_**

 **A huge hello to Tatsuma, Ryoku, Oboru, Ritsuo, Kokichi, and Ryuji! And a special thanks to all of you who submitted these awesome ocs! AHHH do you guys love them as much as we do!? Who's your favorite oc so far? Does anyone particularly stand out over the other ocs to you guys?**

 **That was part one of the exams, so tune in for the second update with even more ocs! We have that almost complete, so we'll be posting Part Two pretty soon.**

 **Thanks again, everyone** **! Please remember to R &R. Advice and constructive criticism are both welcome.**


	7. Ch 1 Part 2: Spotlight Continued

Hey, all! How are you guys doing? God, we're finally posting part two and let me just tell you guys, we RUSHED like crazy to finish this thing up. And what a beast of a chapter this was at a whopping **_8,064 wordcount!_** It was so much longer until we edited it lol. Because of the length, we did cut out on some of the detail and description that we both adore which sucks but with how long this chapter was, we didn't want you all to get confused or tired of reading. So I hope the end result is something you guys are okay with. We had a bit of a tough time with writing this, especially the end scene because of two things:

1) Lunairia is on vacation and has limited internet access. And 2) We introduced so many characters at once and didn't want everything to feel too rushed. So I'm pretty nervous to hear your thoughts on this one. I really hope we don't disappoint. The next chapter won't feel as rushed, I promise.

LunairiaBlaze and I would like to thank all of everyone again for being so supportive and sticking by us; we're still so grateful and happy to have you in our lives. All of you have been the beacons of light that guided us to here, and we can't thank you enough. Your PMs and reviews are absolutely magical and really made our day. Just thinking about all of your reviews makes me smile! You guys are the best.

 _ **To address reviews**_ : **A lot of you guys had commented that we weren't very descriptive with the quirks in the last chapter, but we actually did that on purpose because we didn't want to give too much away just yet. I hope that's okay with you guys; we don't want you all to think we just weren't descriptive with our writing lol. So think of these little sections as intros to characters rather than actual quirk analysis. In chapter two, we will give you guys descriptions of quirks and character profiles and have a ton more detail. We just thought it would be fun to have a sense of mystery to start out with. So please look forward to that! (If you all want us to add descriptions to the class roster, please let us know in a review, and we'll definitely do that if enough people want it.)**

 **Let us know what you think of it! Maybe the chapter is too long? Needs some work? Just let us know in a review below. :) (seriously panicking over here about how rushed this chapter feels... Please forgive us! It won't happen again!)**

 **Disclaimer** \- **We do not own My Hero Academia. This story is merely a work of fiction.**

 **Rating \- M - for graphic scenes of violence, horrific events, death, murder, language, angst, etc.**

 **Warnings \- THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS MILD SCENES OF VIOLENCE, ADULT LANGUAGE, AND BRIEF MENTIONS OF BLOOD. You have been warned. Please read at your own discretion. Turn back now if this is not for you**.

* * *

 ** _IMPORTANT UPDATE, PLEASE READ!_ : Like I mentioned above, Lunairia is on vacation and I actually leave for my own vacation tomorrow the 13th. So we rushed to finish this for you guys to post before we're both out of commission for a week or so. I'll be gone until the 22nd of this month, so July 22nd I'll be back, and we can both post the next chapter. Until then though, we won't be able to answer as frequently or post. And also, we've decided on a posting schedule for you guys, once things go back to normal that is. So we'll post a chapter every week to two weeks if something comes up or there happen to be some unforeseen circumstances, we'll let you guys know if we can't post, but that shall be the schedule for this story. **

**See you guys on July 22nd, and everyone enjoy your summer! :D**

* * *

 **Chapter One Part Two:**

 **Spotlight**

 _ **Present day- Entrance Exam**_

 _ **Location: Sector Hij**_

Pompom was practically giddy; the hot pink skinned girl was dressed in a sleeveless white tank top, the words "cutie pie" written across the chest area in baby pink cursive. Light blue shorts equipped with a brown belt and grey slip shoes made for her complete outfit. Her blue gemstone-shaped eyes twinkled and sparkled with mirth, light catching on her hello-kitty hair clip. She was having so much fun; now that she didn't have to worry about hurting anyone with her quirk, the exam was a blast! She swung her small body around the sector amongst all the chaos, obliviously humming to herself while her legs dangled a few feet off of the ground.

The giggling student looked positively adorable compared to the others, the smile on her face was almost as infectious as All Might's, the metal of her braces reflecting the light from the sun that shines brightly down onto the examinees. The only thing setting her apart from the blonde hero was her adorable and girlish body, her light blue twin braids tied lowly at either side of her head, dangling over her shoulders and bouncing with her exertion. Honestly, if you were to see just her petite body, flat-chest and all, you'd probably think she looked more like a middle-schooler than a high school student. Although, her massive arms were what made her great competition for the blonde hero's own biceps and really made her stand out. Easily longer than her own mostly petite body and a little thicker than her torso, her arms were comically huge compared to her tiny body. She could win any arm wrestling competition, lift buses with practically little to no effort, and still look cute while doing it. Veins pulsed and rippled as she crushed robots like aluminum cans between her hands, swiveling her body around on her fists like a gorilla, feet never once touching or coming close to the ground.

Pompom loved this exam already; it wasn't too hard, and she could easily avoid other students. Giddy as she was though, she still made sure to send whatever scraps and shrapnel from the crushed robots off to the side. She didn't want any potential classmates tripping over them. How horrible would that be if someone innocent got hurt while trying to pass their exam? _No, I can't even think that way right now, how terrible!_ Pompom worriedly thought to herself as she approached another piece of dangerous metal in the road, hands pushing against the ground like feet.

Her eyes widened in mild surprise, and she wasted no time crossing the short distance to the sizeable car-sized metal leg of a bot laying forgotten hazardously in the middle of the street, exposed ends of ripped wires sticking out at odds from where it had no doubt been yanked loose from the body.

"Oh no! I better move this before someone comes!" The blue haired girl spoke frantically to herself. Just as she swung herself forward, lip jutting out in a pout as her horrors came true - glancing out of her peripheral vision, a group of examinees went around the side corner mid-fight at the end of the street and were slowly edging closer to the area. Which meant, they would no doubt be over here in the next minute or two.

' _Don't worry guys. I'll get this out of your way!'_ Pompom determinedly nodded to herself and with the grit of her teeth and little effort at all, the pink-skinned teen carefully picked up the leg with her giant muscular arms.

As if she was lifting something the weight of a piece of paper, she flung the metal leg with all of her might across the vast concrete street and watched it soar through the air - and soar, and soar and soar…. Oh shit, Pompom froze, her breath catching in her throat, eyes widening in fear as the thought of, ' _Did I overshoot that?_ ' flitted through her mind and -

"GUYS! WATCH OUT! That leg is coming straight for you!" She screamed at the top of her lungs, the shrill sound bouncing off of the empty buildings causing the small crowd of students to glance towards her in unison.

Then eyes fell upon the metal coming straight at them. ' _Oh no, no no! They're going to be crushed, and it's my fault,'_ Pompom gasped. A terrible feeling tightened up in her gut, making the girl feel like she was going to be sick but the blue-haired teen was bolted to the ground - unable to do anything at all.

With mere seconds left, a boy moved so quickly he looked almost like a blur of onyx to Pompom as he threw himself in front of the frozen fellow examinees. The dark haired teen immediately flapped his large raven wings to stretch out their full width of an impressive fifteen feet. She watched in a mix of fascination and fear while he rapidly fluttered the beautiful jet black feathers, and finally gathering enough air to slightly deter the trajectory of the leg. To everyone's relief, the leg instead whirled and took out the remaining five robots at once, slicing through their metal and slowly, one by one, tumbled over to lay on the street.

Cheers filled the air from the examinees around Jeffery, forming a small crowd all with smiles on their faces and words of admiration on their lips. A few students clap him on the back in thanks before slowly drifting away to the next robot, but the boy noticeably stiffened under the attention. Posture ridged and careful gaze never leaving those around him, only relaxing when he was finally left alone.

Pompom's slightly broad shoulders slumped as a wave of relief washed over her. "Oh thank god," she murmured to herself, her heart no longer feeling like it was going to beat out of her chest. Though that feeling was short-lived when she realized Jeffery was traveling the distance to the pink-skinned girl and boy if that frown was anything to go by, he was not happy. The fainthearted girl can't help the fear that consumes slowly consumes her, negative thoughts flitting through her mind like a marathon.

' _Oh no, why is he coming over? Is that mean look directed towards me? I hope he's not upset… Why did I have to be so reckless?_ ' Pompom squeeks to herself, anxiously squeezing her large knuckles into tight fists to keep herself at bay.

Pompom gulped when Jeffery came to a stop in front of her, well-defined arms crossing over his broad chest while the wings on his back slowly receded back into his body, much to the interest of her curious gaze. Up close, it's easy to tell that the boy is very muscular in physic, with a tall height of 5'8 to match, towering over her small stature with ease. And slightly intimidating, with his dark eyes and straight, short black hair clashing with his fair skin. He reeks an air of authority, stern discipline and guilt fills her to the core.

His slanted obsidian eyes squint down at her in a glare, unreadable emotions swirling in the dark pools causing Pompom to shrink back and blink up at him innocently, heart suddenly heavy to match the forming lump in her throat. _Oh no, please don't be upset mister!_ She whines to herself, a small sliver of hope remaining. But, that all but vanishes when Jeffery opens his mouth.

"Just what do you think you were accomplishing by throwing that hunk of metal to a bunch of unsuspecting students. Do you know what could've happened if I hadn't of stepped in? Do you have some kind of ulterior motives to this exam, miss?" Jeffery snaps, tilting his head towards her to peer down at the blushing, fumbling blue haired girl. There's accusation in his tone, an evident distrust there, and now the unreadable emotion in his gaze makes since - he's suspicious.

He's _suspicious_ of her.

The thought leaves a bad taste in her mouth, chest panging with dread and heartbreak. She would never purposely hurt someone, never ever! That just wasn't her. And to think that someone got that impression of her makes Pompom feel absolutely horrible.

Pompom rushes to shake her head wildly, dismissing the accusations and bites back the stinging threatening to cloud her eyes. S _he will not cry, not while she's in this exam anyways. What kind of hero cried?_

"I was just trying to help. I really didn't mean to hurt anyone. I thought you were all surrounded… I'm so sorry. I'm very lucky that you did step in - please don't be upset!" Pompom's pleas break with a thick watery sound, and immediately Jeffery's gaze softens.

He sighs loudly, glare dropping from his face as he leans back on the balls of his heels. It feels like a hand wrapped its clutches around his heart and is squeezing the life out of him. _Guilt maybe? But I don't have anything to feel guilty for!_ He reconciled, but all thoughts of anger are pushed aside when he sees the poor girl's tearful blue eyes that she tries to blink away. Pompom forces her gaze to the ground, avoiding eye contact, silently willing her tears to stay at bay.

Jeffrey stares her down, analyzing every little detail of her form even down to the hello kitty hair clip in her blue braids. _Well, she doesn't look that evil,_ he supposes. But, Pompom could've still tried to hurt them on purpose, though for now, he'd just let it slide. He couldn't just drop his suspicion because she's crying. That would be stupid on his part! You can't trust anyone, even someone as innocent looking as her. Especially in an exam such as this, you never knew what the pros had in store.

Jeffery wipes a hand over his face before muttering, "Just - don't act so recklessly next time. If you want to be a hero, you must first protect those around you and think of all possible outcomes from your actions."

Pompom sadly nods her head in agreement, filing the words away in her head without lifting her gaze up to the other's face. He's right, even if he is a little strict and did hurt her feelings, he has a point. She needs to discipline herself to become a better hero instead of just jumping head-first into situations. If he hadn't been there to stop the giant leg's trajectory, it would've crushed every single person in the vicinity. Though, she doesn't get to reply due to the distinctive crackle of the speakers going off from around the sector.

The voice of one Present Mic, echoed around the empty city, bouncing off of the walls to broadcast to the waiting ears of the students, "Good job, examinees! The first part of your physical exam is over. You should all be proud of yourselves if you gathered points! Now onto the next! Are you ready, listeners, for some more action? Tune in for the final fight, future heroes!"

 _Wait, what? What did he mean, 'final fight'? Wasn't this it?_

Apparently, she wasn't the only one having these line of thoughts when the crowd erupted. Loud shouts of confusion filled the street as more and more examinees made their way over. Pompom lifts her head to find that Jeffery is already gone, slipping back off into the group of students. _Wait, where did he go? Wow, he's a pretty mysterious guy._

Then, without delay, she hears it. Her ears perked up at the faint but persistent booming in the distance that was getting closer and closer to their area of the city.

 _What is that?_ She wondered with a rise of a light blue eyebrow.

The blue haired girl swung her body around to face the source of the sound, just as the rest of the teens followed suit. For the second time, today Pompom's voice caught in her throat, dying with her nerve as her blue eyes widened to the size of dinner plates.

Never in their short lives had they felt as small and helpless as they did now. As the dust and debris from the vanquished robots settled, chests heaved in ragged huffs as they all stood, staring over at the new batch of robots that blocked off the remainder of the street and most-likely end of the line. These were different, very different from the previous patch. They could all see that as clear as day. Something just felt off, and a strange, pressing and frantic buzzing set their minds ablaze and their heartbeats wild. They were weird… Odd. Something just wasn't quite right about them. The air level had shifted drastically when they entered, silently as predators, lining up shoulder to shoulder like soldiers with their wide black visors facing the crowd of students. These robots were smaller in size and stature, closer to the heights of people and strangely enough, were a variety of shapes and sizes. However, they were more human-like than the previous but bulky with metal framed exosuits.

Pompom gasped, her eyes wide as she watched a tall boy move forward with silent but confident strides towards their opponents. Clad in a dull grey tank top that showed off his muscular arms that, of course, couldn't rival Pompom's but were still pretty noticeable in her opinion. Black basketball shorts hung low on his waist and showed off his equally toned legs. The teen's dark hair was styled in an undercut, with fringe framing his angular and edgy face, doing nothing to soften up his handsome features. His lips quirked into a smirk, grey eyes glinting darkly with a look that practically screamed 'bad boy.'

 _Oh my goodness, was he out of his mind? Could he not feel the intense shift in the air, the strange aura radiating off of these people? Would he be alright?_

Her teeth clamped down on a plush bottom lip in worry, her heart beating quickly in her chest while her palms started to sweat. What was this feeling? What was about to happen?

It was all happening so fast, like hours were mere seconds as he trekked the short distance to the first line of defense. The boy had his back facing the other students so there wasn't any way for Pompom to read his expression but he had to be confident and courageous to face their opponents alone. She didn't know whether he was actually fearless or just plain reckless, but the boy ignored all gasps and calls towards him from the rest of the nervous testers.

"Hey, idiot! You really shouldn't do that. Don't you feel the weird vibe here? You're about to get your ass kicked!" A boy cupped his hand over his mouth just a few feet away from Pompom, yelling out to the raven-haired boy.

Without looking back, the boy called from over his shoulder, back facing the crowd, "Heh- I think I'll be just fine man, chill out. I don't know if you've seen me fight, but I'd like to say I'm pretty good," Dante called right back with a gruff, cocky laugh from within his chest.

In a split second, everything went quiet. The pink skinned girl's blood ran cold in the silence, mouth clamping shut in utter fear.

Dante's pale hand formed a fist and in a split second the appendage transformed into a huge demonic looking sword. With the accuracy and precision of an esteemed fighter, he swung his arm forwards, propelling the sword directly into the face of a hulking robot in the middle of the lineup. Pompom held back a squeal of protest, clenching her eyes shut and waited for the sound of impact but was met with silence and then shocked gasps. _What's going on?_ The blue-haired girl's eyes flew open just in time to see Dante's sword-arm caught in a sizeable metal-clad hand that practically engulfed the blade like it was a toy, unable to inflict damage.

The seconds were like slow motion. The teen was yanked up by his sword-arm as if he didn't weigh more than a child and tossed through the air with a pained scream. Pompom watched him lurch backward so hard that he skidded across the cement with his butt. Everyone was frozen still - the rest of the teens around him staring down in disbelief at the crumpled form of the once mighty boy with such potential to become ranked in class 1-A. He was draped across the street, his arm now shifted back into a more human-like appendage and clutching his broken wrist in his unscathed hand before glaring fiercely at the cold black visor that stared back at him. He could swear it was smirking at him as if it had eyes. _Now that didn't make sense as robots were incapable of emotions, right?_

 _So then just what the hell were they?_

As if by instinct, they were all on high alert, senses honed in on these creatures before them in mixed fear and anticipation. _No wonder this exam had been so easy before,_ she nervously thought, _they were building up to this._ Now, she wasn't quite so sure she would succeed…

The shiny, white and blue metal practically glimmered in the sunlight, glinting almost menacingly back at them. Well, they were metal right? She could probably punch them just like every other robot or rip off a chunk of metal and toss it! But what if it caught her fists just as easily as it did with the sword-guy? It could send her tumbling into the other teens, possibly injuring them as well like a set of bowling pins. The thought makes her hesitate, her desire to pass the exam clashing with her fear of unintentionally hurting others with her quirk.

The decision was made for her before she even had a second to think. The robots propelled forward, each moving on their own, either running or flying or some form of movement to the unsuspecting teens. Pompom wasn't sure how it happened, but a rather large robot, a good two feet taller than her height of 4'10 was on her in a flash.

A giant hunk of metal moved into her sight-line, towering over her smaller body. Pompom's body moved with pure grace and power, as she swung her sizeable pink fist forward, trying to strike before the robot had a chance to do so. She didn't want to punch him, to use her quirk like this but she wasn't left with much of an option due to their close proximity.

 _Sorry Mister robot, but you have to be taken out! It's either you or me and I really really don't want it to be the latter._

She felt the familiar impact of her fist in contact with the metal framework of his hulking chest, from air to metal. The dominant force of her pink, veiny, muscular arms was sure to take this robot down just like the many others that fell at her feet before him. Her eyes squeezed shut as she felt the rush of fighting, the adrenaline pumping through her veins and blood rushing in her ears as she waited for the sickening crunch and the woosh of his body being blown backward.

The light blue haired teen didn't know how it happened or when but her veiny arms suddenly felt an intense drop in temperature. The cold feeling traveled up her arm and to her torso in mere seconds.

"Wha-" Pompom's eyes shot open, and her gaze landed on her arm to see it completely frozen in place like a giant popsicle.

 _What!? Since when did robots have quirks?_

Her quirk ultimately trapped her. Frozen in place and unable to move.

This was terrible, really bad.

Her heartbeat picked up dramatically, lodging itself in her throat as panic began to take over, her mind blaring like a siren on high alert. She felt like an animal, caged by a human and unable to break free. She was caught. Pompom gasped out loud and struggled to break free of the ice prison that engulfed her arm and torso, slowly expanding down to her thighs. At this rate, she would be completely frozen in ice.

"Let me go! Hey, stop that!" Pompom squirmed and struggled against her resolve while the robot bared down on her. Whoever this robot was, they were merciless in their tactics, and she couldn't shake the feeling that they were taking pleasure in watching her struggles.

She needed to get out of here fast before he decided to finish the job. Pompom forced her feet to touch the ground to take a step backward, away from the robot. Though, much to her displeasure, the cold rush extended down her thighs and to her knees, effectively trapping her from further escape.

Smoke curls in thick wispy waves through the air, from a destroyed bot close by, the black soot clouding her vision for a second and falling in a curtain over the robot hell-bent on freezing her up. Fear floods her senses as the thought of, _"Where is he, where is he going to come from next?"_ echoes in her brain. The smoke had distracted her long enough for the machine to disappear from her immediate sight and left her frantic with worry for the next strike.

Just when her panic hits it's peak, an examinee with short dark hair, darker than the soot, lurches through the blackness looking like an inky blur past her widened eyes. Pompom yelps in surprise from the sheer quickness of the boy but doesn't have time to ponder before he's racing ahead.

 _Oh no, I have to warn him, come on Pompom!_ In a rush, she gathers herself before he can make contact through the smoke where the robot is most-likely still standing.

"Wait, be careful - this robot is different!" Pompom yells out in a desperate attempt to get his attention, but the boy's obsidian slanted gaze barely flits over her.

Her ears immediately twitch, and she realizes belatedly that the boy is talking. She strains to hear his voice, craning forward slightly as much as the ice will let her hear, "Don't worry, I noticed that earlier," he calls over his shoulder, voice a breathless deep baritone, quiet but warms her body.

Oh, thank goodness, he should be okay then, she perks up as a wave of relief washes over her. All she can do is stare dumbfounded as the object in the pale boy's hands lifts into the air. _When did he get that?_ She wonders in interest, eyebrows quickly raising. In his hands was a pitch black blunt object that resembles some kind of large hammer that practically blends in with the smoke. The boy all but smashes the object over the robot's head, stunning the machine enough that the icy hold on the majority of Pompom's body weakens. She feels the pressure slowly vanishing as her body slightly falls out of the quickly disappearing cold.

Pompom takes a moment to yank herself free of the barrier, only managing to get most of her body out of it as the boy smacks the robot again, arms straining slightly with the weight of the object in his hands but otherwise successfully knocking him back. The robot seems to stumble backward over its own feet from the force of the blow and oddly enough, she swears she hears a grunt under the sound of an apparent heavy object striking metal but where would the sound come from? What in the world? She breathes to herself before trying to gain her balance. Pompom dismisses it as lingering paranoia from being trapped, the grunt no doubt came from her rescuer...so then why did the sound replay as muffled in her head?

She would have to worry about it later, what with her being off-balance from her earlier struggling, the shorter girl falls like a frozen tree. Thankfully the weakened state of the rest of the remaining ice shatters under the weight of her burly arms, and she smiles in relief. She could move again, albeit exceptionally stiffly but she was still free and not a cute, buff popsicle!

The tall bot from earlier seems to glare at them from behind its shiny surface. It was most definitely not pleased about being smacked over the head, but it's out of commission from what it looks like, sprawled helplessly on the street at their feet.

A sparkling grin is sent towards her rescuer while he dusts himself off, watching the robot fall to the ground. Pompom's blue, gem eyes are bright again, "Thank you so much!" Pompom exclaims, all of her admiration leaking into the kind words. Her savior grunts in reply, but Pompom can see from his body language that he's satisfied with the mini rescue. The blunt black object in his hands melts into a blob of inky-black liquid. Pompom stares as the blob seem to seep into his skin, forming a tattoo that she can't entirely determine the shape of. _Huh, well that was an interesting quirk if she ever saw one._

"I normally prefer to use traps before I attack, but I didn't have enough time for that to rescue you. I'm glad you're okay. That guy was a tough one," the boy repeats with his low soft voice, and immediately Pompom is beaming like never before, displaying a mouth full of metal braces with light blue elastic bands. Smile so bright and contagious that the dark haired boy finds himself mirroring her with a smile of his own crawling across his otherwise stoic face, a slightly embarrassed flush on his high cheekbones.

He tries to force down the flustered feeling by running a hand through his pin-straight black hair, ruffling it out of his eyes to scan the area around them and finally Pompom has a chance to look at the other. His hair and eyes are both equally dark, black as night and sharp. Fringe falls in the middle of his forehead in a swooping spike with fringe framing either side of his face in similarly smaller spikes. He's handsome in a mysterious kind of way, she supposes. The type of guy that you would see in those cheesy movies as the untouchable love interest. He doesn't necessarily seem like a bad boy type, well, not any that she'd seen before. Even with the giant tattoo on his face under his right eye like a beacon. Pompom finds her attention pulled to the black ink curving from his right cheekbone to under the lid of his right eye forming an artful crescent shape which spikes out in a shape reminding her of a half-sun. Surprisingly, even with a face tattoo, the boy still doesn't seem rough or intimidating.

Her gaze shifts down to his short-sleeved black t-shirt showing off his pale, ink-covered arms. Her eyes roam curiously over the monochromatic expanse of his arms where tattoos liter the pale skin trailing from his biceps to his wrist and down to his legs, only stopping where his socks met skin and the hem of his basketball shorts. _"Huh, a teenage boy who has a ton of tattoos? That's different,"_ she wonders. _"Maybe they're apart of his quirk though? I mean, the blunt object earlier seemed to sink back into his skin…"_ Her thoughts trail off as she quietly ponders this new idea.

Pompom jumps at the low voice that startles her out of her thoughts. "Um, they're my quirk…. Ink manipulation," the boy murmurs, staring directly at Pompom with a raise of an eyebrow and a slightly flustered frown. Immediately Pompom's cheeks tint a dark red on her naturally pink skin, " _oh no, did I say all of that out loud?"_ she thinks in horror.

"You did, but that's okay," the boy answers again this time with a soft laugh and Pompom squeals out loud, mortified but recovers in seconds, shifting into fast-talking mode, much to Makoto's surprise.

The pink skinned girl talks a mile a minute, flusteredly stumbling through her words with a blush on her cheeks that makes her look pretty adorable, in his own opinion that is. "Ahhh I'm sorry! Please don't think I was judging you. I'm not! Your tattoos are just really cool, and I've never seen anything like it. I'm sorry! I was fascinated with your quirk. It's so interesting. Just wow! How does it work? Is it just your tattoos? Are they magic? What are you doing?"

Makoto blinks as the girl finally drops silent, finding himself very overwhelmed by the numerous questions. _Man, how can someone talk so fast? Actually - how did she manage to think of so many things to ask at once?_ Makoto shifts self consciously under the hopeful stare of bright blue hexagonal eyes gleaming up at him innocently. _Well, I guess it wouldn't hurt to explain a little about himself to her right?_ He sighs to himself before opening his mouth to reply though, before he can get anything out, a loud boom comes from behind him. Makoto and Pompom, both shift into action, heads craning to the source of the noise of what looks to be a gang of robots literally about to blow up a herd of students.

 _Damn, what's going on with these robots? For smaller pieces of metal, they sure seemed way more aggressive than the larger ones._

The raven-haired male is moving again, quickly forcing his body into action while Pompom stares after him. "Sorry, I've gotta go. But nice meeting you. Good luck." he softly calls before heading off in the direction of the explosion.

* * *

The first time Kumori had heard about the entrance exams was when she was very young. Walking home from school, she overheard the chatter of older kids - teens - speaking of U.A's infamous entrance exams with awe. Voices alight with wonder and excitement at such an exclusive and sought-after experience, how jealous they were of their friends to attend such a thing and how one day they would do the same. And she also dreamed she would be taking such an admirable, yet critical test. However, standing here feeling so small and powerless as a row of intimidating bots stares her in the face with unseeing black visors, she wasn't so sure this was such a good idea.

Her mouth felt incredibly dry like she was chewing a big wad of fluffy cotton and no matter how many times she swallowed and tried to produce more saliva, it was no use. This was not a good sign, not at all. Because, this was a tell-tell hint that she had just overused her quirk, spider-silk. She had done it to trap a few bots early on in the exam, but now that meant - she gulped, realization smacking her right in the face - she was stranded for this final part of the exam.

Kumori's heart raced with terrifying dread and real fear of pain - of possible death... And she froze in her tracks, body heavy with the weight of her situation, while others moved around her with precision and determination to defeat these final robots. Though it felt as if she was instead watching them from somewhere far, far away from here. Like she could honestly feel the divide between herself and the other students.

 _Why am I here? Why is such a small, spider-like girl attempting to win something she had no business doing in the first place?_ She bitterly wondered to herself, for the hundredth time during this exam. _Am I dumb to think I stand a chance here? Maybe I should have listened to the warnings of my middle school classmates and applied to somewhere safer…_ Kumori huffs a little to herself, shuffling her feet against the ground helplessly. _I'm so useless, helpless. Maybe I'm the victim in this situation, and the rest of these students are the heroes? I'll never be more than a bystander. If I knew I couldn't use my quirk for too long, I should've planned for this a bit better, instead of using every last bit of my silk down to the wire when it really counts._

Full of self-doubt, Kumori didn't realize the danger she had walked right into, or more like - daydreamed into. She heard it before she saw it, the thuds of giant mechanical feet falling against the concrete and when she looked up, she was in direct view of a hulking robot.

Her veins ran cold, heart dropping right into the pit of her stomach as a strong bout of nausea hit her like a ton of bricks. "Oh no, what have I done?" Kumori gasped out, words feeling thick in her sharp mouth. She was done for. There wasn't a single doubt in her mind about it. "God, how stupid. Why Kumori? Couldn't you have done your sister better? Made her proud…."

The white-haired girl slid her three pairs of eyes shut, sucking in air rapidly through her nose in slight panic. What could she do? How could she get out of this? She was way too weak to fight head-to-head. He would crush her in an instant! But she had to do something anything…!

Without wasting another second, a thin hand wrapped around her pale wrist with gusto, yanking her out of the way of an oncoming blow from a bot and down, deep down the road. She stumbled behind her savior, legs, and mind both straining to keep up with what just happened. Kumori's three rows of purple eyes all widened in surprise as she was dragged along down the cement, body narrowly avoiding scattered metal and robot parts. Kumori let out a small eep when a shadow fell over her, and she glanced up to see a boy with large flapping wings headed their way.

"Duck!" Kumori's soft voice called out as loudly as she possibly could, and she and the girl who saved her quickly dodged the flying boy, who swooped over their heads in seconds, disappearing around an alleyway in pursuit of a robot. Kumori's chest heaved in mild surprise lingering from the scare, gosh, this exam would be the death of her! She doesn't just have to worry about the robots apparently, but the students too.

Once they were in the clear, the other girl jumped back into a breakneck sprint, shocking the white-haired spider girl out of her mind and snapping her forward. Kumori confusedly followed right behind her body lurching at the girl's sudden speed, well not really having a choice since her wrist was still in the others grasp.

"Hey, you can't just stand there, girl! Those bots were about to crush you. Suspicious aren't they?" a muffled feminine voice came from her savior and Kumori stammered to herself as the girl turned around mid-run to stare kindly down at her with warm brown eyes. It finally gave Kumori a view of her face, or what was showing of the girl's face.

The first thing she noticed was the light green fitted gas mask that covered the girl's mouth, only leaving her eyes and nose slightly exposed, blue bob parted to the right to hang over her right eye as she ran. Hmm, how curious. What an odd feature - a mask like that in an exam.

"Oh, um thank you," Kumori softly spoke, her voice barely above a polite whisper though, the bluenette seemed to have heard her for she nodded then quickly turned back around to face forward until the two came to a stop behind a corner of a towering brick building. The slightly taller girl pressed her body into the side of the brick, chest lightly heaving from exercising before peering down at Kumori who quietly stood beside her, hands anxiously fiddling with her long white pig-tails while she tried to calm her own breathing.

"No problem! Honestly, I needed to get outta there too. I can't do much with my quirk at the moment. But those bots were something else, right? I'm Nyoko, by the way!" Nyoko exclaimed, eyes crinkling lightly into what Kumori assumed must've been a smile under that mask before she craned her neck back towards the scene, loud noises of hollers and smashing filling the air from afar.

 _Hmm, what did the blue haired girl mean by they were 'something else,'_ Kumori wondered. The robots didn't seem out of the ordinary to her. On the contrary, they seemed to be quite similar to the larger ones they had just encountered. But she had to have noticed something suspicious if she was bringing this up to Kumori. Or maybe, she was just trying to trick her? This was technically a competition, wasn't it? But, Kumori frowned to herself, sharp teeth lightly pricking her pink lips at the action, a small burst of guilt filling her chest at such a thought. The other girl didn't seem like the type to do something as mean as that, right? Before Kumori had the chance to voice her confusion, the girl was bursting out from behind the makeshift hiding spot and sprinting down the street, leaving Kumori stumbling over herself in shock.

"Hey! What's going on? What are you doing?" Kumori called softly after her, voice trailing off when the other abruptly ran into the thick of battle. Everything was happening so quickly, she didn't really have a chance to keep up. Kumori felt dumb just staring after the bluenette, doing absolutely nothing while the other girl seemed to have a plan.

 _She_ , Kumori thought eyes wide with admiration as she watched the other make her way down the street, _is a true hero._

Nyoko approached a towering bot that honestly towered over her height of 5'8 locked in a fight with a skinny, much shorter girl with long, dark blue hair and equally blue eyes. Mizumi had been in full fight with this robot for a while and noticeably outmatched. The bot dodged her water-based attacks and frankly was too fast for her to even get in a good hit. She took a moment to transform her hand back to it's fleshy structure as not to exhaust her quirk.

The wet look in Mizumi's wide-eyed gaze made it seem like she was pretty close to tears, and was clearly struggling to defend against the robot opponent. _This guy isn't like the others_. She thought just as the robot dodged her latest punch her, eyes snapping up to his face in suspicion.

' _He's too intelligent; he knows that if he's hit by my watermorph hand, he'll most likely short-circuit. Just what's so different about these robots? Why are they smarter than the last batch?'_

Mizumi didn't have time to ponder on this thought as she was in such a bind that Kumori, still watching from afar, didn't even have the chance to see the blue-haired girl's quirk before the robot was on her.

A gasp left Kumori's sharp mouth from her spot cowering behind the wall, when the bot none too gently punched Mizumi across her pretty freckled face, forcing her head back from the force. She stumbled across the ground, body falling onto the cement below with a loud cry that made Kumori feel sick to her stomach. Mizumi smacked down hard, knocking the breath right out of her chest as an ache shot up her sore spine. Fear flooded her veins like a storm, the blood running from burning hot with adrenaline to a cold sting of ice.

 _Any second now the bot would crush this poor girl_ , Kumori worried her lip between sharp teeth, careful not to break the skin.

Her heart pounded in her chest while she watched helplessly as Nyoko quickly stepped in, wrenched a long piece of metal up from the ground like a crazy person, and shoved the metal with all of her might into the robots head - or what she thought was a head.

Immediately the helmet popped off, tumbling off of the broad frame and smacking loudly against the concrete at its feet. But Nyoko paid the movement no mind and instead raced over to Mizumi's side. With one hand, she carefully wrapped her fingers around Mizumi's thin bicep and tugged her into a half-sit, trying to support the other girl's body gently. Mizumi audibly groaned, her freckle covered nose scrunched up with pain as a stream of blood trickled down her face, causing a pit of guilt to lodge itself into Nyoko's stomach. _Damn, if only I had gotten here sooner she wouldn't be hurt!_ She snapped, gritting her teeth in anger at herself while Mizumi shifted, another hiss leaving her lips.

"You okay?" Nyoko rushed out, barely paying any mind to the wide-eyed shock of Mizumi before the other girl sputtered.

"I'm alright, just a little sore I think, thank you. What is that thing-" the girl on the ground started, blue eyes widening like saucers and the commotion of the two girls caused more than half of the examinees to cease their fighting to look over. However, without even a second's delay, Nyoko side-eyed the bot and, with an apologetic look, slammed a hand against the stunned girl's soft lips and blocked her nostrils, successfully cutting off Mizumi's air supply. And with her other hand, she tugged down the mask, revealing Nyoko's full mouth.

"I'm so sorry about this! Please excuse my rudeness!" She called to Mizumi as a yellowish gas cloud tumbled from her lips with the words, filling the air in an instant, traveling to the 'robot' and surrounding his metal form. The cloud was thick and heavy in the afternoon air, like smoke traveling quickly from Nyoko to the robot - a putrid mustard-yellow noticeable to the naked eye. When the yellow surrounded the metal frame head, the robot chattered to the ground with a crash, sounding like a tin-can against the concrete. Its body was thrashing wildly in the yellow gas with a strange sound that Kumori offhandedly realized was coughing before falling entirely still.

 _Wait - coughing? What robot coughs? Was he really a robot at all?_

' _Oh my god, did she poison him?,'_ Kumori gasped in complete shock. Just what in the world was she doing with a quirk like that? The word curled around her head before she even knew it, ' **villainous** ,' and she couldn't help the pang of guilt that came with it. No no, she couldn't think like that about someone who had saved her, right? She didn't necessarily know Nyoko, but she wasn't a villain. Was she? She couldn't help the quirk she had but how would she get into U.A. with something like that?

Then, Nyoko let out a breath and awed, "I knew it."

Nyoko quickly yanked her mask back into place, shielding her mouth and quirk from view and removed her hand from Mizumi's mouth. The girl gasped for breath, body heaving as she coughed and choked wildly, waving off the hand offered to her from a worried Nyoko and her exclaim of, "You're bleeding, oh my god. Tilt your head back and pinch the bridge of your nose to get it to stop."

"Is- Is that a h-h-human?" Mizumi stammered, wide-eyed and red-faced. For now, with the helmet knocked off, thanks to Nyoko, Mizumi has a good view of this 'robot's' real appearance. A boy, seemingly a year or two older than themselves sprawled across the ground in another fit of coughing. His hair was a bright orange with choppy bangs, mousy features and beady brown eyes scrunched in pain. _So this guy wasn't a robot, huh,_ she mused, _well he wasn't so intimidating now rolling around on the floor like a baby..._

"Looks like it. I knew something was fishy with these robots. They were way too intelligent to be engineered! I'm so sorry I had to cut you off like that, I couldn't have you breathing in the gas from my quirk. I hope you're alright, you took a nasty punch there!" the short haired girl brightly retorted, an apologetic smile on her face just as Mizumi murmured back an, "It's okay, thanks for the help."

Nyoko nodded then stood up, towering over Mizumi before reaching out a hand with a warm grin. Mizumi quietly stared for a few seconds at the appendage before taking it and letting the taller girl pull her to her feet. Once they were both standing, Mizumi glanced over at the 'robot' who laid at their feet, groaning to himself as he lazily rolled over onto his side.

"Um, is he alright? He looks a little - um -," Mizumi blinked down while he pathetically whined, "out of it?"

To her surprise, Nyoko just lets out a boisterous laugh, crossing her arms over her chest with the wide grin from before still on her face. Her brown eyes scrunched up in amusement while she eyed the boy on the ground, "Yeah he'll be just fine. It's my quirk - I like to call it 'plague,' it's nothing deadly though. He'll be fine in a few hours. Serves this guy right though for attacking you!" Nyoko trailed off with a chuckle, and the other blue-haired girl nodded in understanding just as a loud buzzer went off around the city sector, echoing loudly back into their ears. All of the students and 'robots' alike froze, the chaos ceasing as if someone had just flipped a switch as a familiar voice called out over the hush.

"Annnnnnd- that's a wrap, kids! It's all over!" Present Mic's voice boomed over the intercom, "Everyone, give a round of applause to our special guests - your upperclassmen! For volunteering to help us out with this exam, they did an excellent job playing villain robots. Thanks, guys! Now get on back to the station."

Immediately, all of the remaining 'robots' removed their helmets, revealing distinctively human features - definitely not destructive robots, that's for sure - glancing around curiously at the examinees who finally had the chance to gaze upon their opponents. Kumori gasped at the news, shock still written on her face to match the rest of the stunned examinees, all except for Nyoko and Mizumi. Saying they were surprised would be a laughable understatement. The upperclassmen were intimidating, even without the masks on, power radiating off of them in waves. Some were familiar, recognized from last years sports festival, or even the year before that - all having been in the media at least once in their lives. There was an apparent separation between the two groups, previous students, and possible new students - they were on entirely different levels.

Who knew that U.A. would pull such a stunt as having their students play a part in this year's exams. Especially, students that had been around for at least a year and would easily surpass these amateurs. It seemed like, in all honesty, they were set up to fail. There wasn't any way that these examinees coming from middle school could win against a bunch of talented and experienced students. What the hell was U.A. trying to play at here?

Listening to Present Mic's command, the upperclassmen all quickly turned and made their way out of the sector leaving a crushing silence to fall over the examinees.

"Alright kids, your exams are officially over! Now, time for the grading process. Thanks for participating! Please find your way to the exits of your sector and head back to the auditorium for further instructions. If you're injured, our newest member of staff will be around to heal you - so sit tight! That's all folks and thanks for listening!" Present Mic signed off, leaving the intercom to fall dead again, light static behind in his wake.

The rest of the examinees let groans of pain and or mixed excitement fall from their lips. Though It was finally over, they all still felt the crushing sense of anxiety from the match. God, U.A. was harsh, if this was just the entrance exams to get into the damned school, what would actually being a student feel like? Would it even be worth it? The exams alone seemed like a death sentence, could things only get worse from here?

* * *

 **- _End Chapter One Part Two_**

 **AND that is the end of the exams! AYYYY THE CREW HAS ARRIVED! Well, not all of the crew... But most of them! xD A big hello to our newest OCs: _Pompom, Jeffrey, Kumori, Nyoko, Makoto, Dante, and Mizumi!_ And another special thanks to all of you who submitted these awesome ocs! Who's your new fav oc? Anyone stand out this time? Maybe knocked your old favorite out of the park? **

**So yes, that is the end of the exams for our students, but not every OC is introduced yet, so stay tuned for chapter two for more characters. A few OCs were actually recommended to U.A. so you guys didn't get to see them take the exams but they'll be introduced soon. As for others, you'll find out how they did as well.**

 **Next chapter should be the first day of school for our kids, so I hope you're all prepared to get things started! If you have any scene ideas, or even want to see certain characters interact, please let us know in your review.**

 **Thanks again, everyone** **! Please remember to R &R. Advice and constructive criticism are both welcome. (God I'm still hiding in a freaking hole after we rushed to post this chapter. I'm so ashamed, please forgive us! It won't happen again! Ugh, vacations... _ Sorry again you guys!) **

**And see you all after my vacation on the 22nd! :D**


	8. Ch 2 Part 1: Unsure Beginnings

Hey guys! How are you all doing?! Lunairia seriously beat ourselves up trying to get this chapter out to you guys. We're SO behind schedule thanks to us both taking our vacations and having to get back into the swing of work that we were really overwhelmed for a little while. Both of us wanted to get this thing posted as soon as possible but being on schedule just wasn't going to happen for this chapter and we're both really sorry. We felt so freaking horrible and literally panicked about it like crazy people LOL. After I got back from vacation on the 22nd, I had to work overtime to make up for taking off for my vacay so I didn't really have as much time as I would've liked to get on until recently, so the both of us tried to rush this chapter out every spare moment we had. So HERE IT IS OMG. We're back on schedule now, so expect the next chapter by next week or the week after. :D I'm pretty anxious about this because of us rushing yet another chapter, so I hope it's not lacking. The quality is alright but I feel like we could've done a little better... Ugh. We made sure to have a huge _**wordcount of 9,966**_ to make up for our tardiness so hopefully, you guys don't fall asleep trying to get through this. xD

We tried to include a bit more of their quirk descriptions this chapter, but we won't be getting super deep into it until the next chapter or chapter after that.

I hope you have all had a wonderful summer and you're not working too hard, we miss you guys and can't wait to catch up!

Welcome to the official first day of school! :D

 **Let us know what you think of it! Who's your favorite character? Any favorite scenes? Maybe the chapter is too long? Needs some work? Just let us know in a review below. :)**

 **Disclaimer** \- **We do not own My Hero Academia. This story is merely a work of fiction.**

 **Rating \- M - for graphic scenes of violence, horrific events, death, murder, language, angst, etc.**

 **Warnings \- THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS ADULT LANGUAGE AND BRIEF MENTIONS OF ABUSE. You have been warned. Please read at your own discretion. Turn back now if this is not for you**.

* * *

 **Here's an important update for voting/poll : The amazing **_Kuroi Bara-676_ **gave us the idea to pick a _class rep and vice_ , so we thought it would be fun to maybe have you guys in a chapter or two vote on the representatives for class 1-B. _So please remember to check out my profile for the poll and vote for class rep and vice!_ We'll also have a vote a little later on for 1-A as well. Special bit of info to keep in mind though: we will be giving the class rep and vice special missions to go on and different things throughout the story, so they'll have a bit more of importance with their roles than in the original manga/anime.**

 **Also, someone else has brought to my attention on the forum that _shipping and 'best girl and best boy'_ would probably commence soon, so if you guys have a pairing(s) in mind or best boy and best girl, let us know on the forum or in a review! :D Since we haven't really had a huge change to get to know everyone yet, pairings/relationships probably won't happen for a little while but you guys can still start giving us ideas if you want.**

* * *

 **Chapter Two Part One:**

 **Unsure Beginnings**

 _ **Present day - Entrance Ceremony**_

 _ **Location: U.A. Auditorium**_

It had been a week since the murder of Ms. Meirin, the class 1-B teacher, the funeral fresh in everyone's mind. Older students were still in shock or numb to the whole situation. Fingerprints were never found and U.A, having always relied on The Wall, never installed cameras. That changed now with two or three cameras set up every couple of yards to view the entire surrounding area of the massive building, covering several hundred feet in all directions. Those with late shifts and those that stayed a few extra hours were told to implement a buddy system or to call someone -a relative or friend- to take them home before leaving the building. Students who were in clubs or remedial classes were given a curfew and a bus to deliver them back home safely. Security checks were also brought back from the time of the USJ attack; night guards appointed as well; ordered to stay until the very last faculty member was safely gone.

Their eyes had been effectively wrenched open, and U.A was reacting quickly. They could no longer rely on All Might, but the academy had no shortage of powerful heroes. They would make it through this crisis one way or another; for now, they needed to reassure students and faculty alike that one murder was not going to break them completely. They were the nation's greatest hero school after all; they would show these villains how strong their will is.

Their next course of action could have been planned better for as soon as the words left Nedzu's furry lips, the gathered crowd of heroes and students alike, all gathered for this year's opening ceremony, had blown into an uproar. Voices rose and shouted over one another in a contest to be heard first. He fought the urge to flinch at the uproar, biting back any further remarks.

 _Tough crowd this year, huh?_

"You're going to WHAT?!" a pro-hero exclaims from the front row, already on his feet, his chair turned over from him jumping up so fast. Nedzu watches him shake his fist in the air, no doubt cursing the furry creature for his crazy announcement. Nedzu barely spares him a look of contempt before another hero butted in.

"Accepting a villain- regardless of whether they're a child or not- into the academy? Right after that horrendous murder?!" This came from a younger woman whose voice broke between the last two words, watery with emotion. She clutched the plastic of her chair at either side of her thighs tightly in her delicate hands until her knuckles turned white, face openly displaying her personal horrors from under the dark bangs covering her forehead. Tears welled up in mossy green eyes with grief; she knew Meirin very well before the murder. He felt his face shift into a small sympathetic frown, he could understand her pain, but this is what had to be done.

From a few rows back, a second-year student gawks in disbelief, immediately rounding on the tiny furry creature, "Have the heroes at U.A finally lost it?! They can't be serious about this!" She yells out. Her voice pitching and frantic, practically a screech. Her teeth clenched just as tightly as the fists that hang stiffly at her sides, a raven-haired student next to her openly sobbing.

The cacophony of voices rose in anger and outrage only continuing to grow louder with each exclamation, fueled by each other's passion. If one had taken the time to calm down, they would realize that Nedzu was unsurprisingly calm as the crowd continued to voice their displeasure. Hands clasped out in front of him, hanging below his waist where he stood on a small platform at the center of the stage, making his small frame seem larger in the vast space, adding extensively to his height. Some might even think the furry principal was enjoying the crowds' venting and in fact, he very much was.

If they could still feel anger, then they weren't too far gone into the pits of despair, he reasoned. They could still turn that anger into determination to keep each other as well as the students safe. Though, despite everything that has happened, Nedzu would in no way try to lie to his students and staff. There wasn't a point. They deserved to know the truth of the matter, so leaving them to scream and holler their frustrations was something he felt necessary to do, at least for a little while.

After a few minutes of patience on his part, Nedzu gives Present Mic a pointed look, a subtle nod of his head and the blond radio show host takes in a deep breath. Suddenly, every other voice in the orientation room is drowned out by the sound of Present Mic bellowing out a single word:

"QUUUUUUUIIIIEEEET!"

Everyone screeches at once, preparing themselves for an anticipated busting of their eardrums that surprisingly doesn't come. Thankfully, his head had been pointed up to keep from damaging anyone beyond ringing ears.

God, he wasn't an amateur after all! He wasn't going just to hurt every single person in the vicinity. Who did they take him for?

The rafters shake from the force of his quirk for a few seconds, the sound echoing a bit in the large auditorium as everyone covered their ears for half-hearted protection. In the silence that follows, the blonde haired hero gives him a thumbs up, and Nedzu clears his throat. Sickeningly polite as always, trying to keep his slight amusement out of his voice when he starts speaking again.

"Thank you. Now, I am aware that each and every one of you has your nerves frayed beyond reason after the incident with Meirin, but I will assure you we have appropriately planned this all out. The student, Otsuka Miu, is as much a victim in all this as those she has attacked in the past. She never chose to hurt those innocent civilians; she was bribed by her family and friends on the line. I am by no means dismissing what she has done, she is still a criminal in many ways, but she has the intense desire to reform herself." He starts, tone calm as Nedzu wrings his small hands out in front of him anxiously.

" For that, we are allowing her to attend U.A. under extremely strict surveillance. Otsuka will be monitored at all times, a house arrest band attached to her ankle and a different pro-hero assigned to escort her to and from each class every day." When he stops again to take a breath, low murmurs fill the room, carrying up high to the stage but he doesn't ponder on any of it just yet. He isn't finished here, and he won't let them make any assumptions before hearing him completely out.

"If any hero, student or faculty member should feel and have proof that Otsuka is up to no good-" he pauses, gazes falling over the entirety of the orientation room with his unnaturally beady eyes causing a few heroes to shift under the weight of it in their seats uncomfortably.

"-she will be expelled immediately and sent to prison within the hour. If that still does not satisfy any of you, please, by all means, speak now or we will proceed to the next event."

Nedzu could still vividly remember the fear in Miu's pink eyes - the fear and real heart-wrenching guilt. That look haunted him every day, reminding him why he became a principal in the first place. From the moment they had found her, he knew she was being controlled against her will. She had begged and pleaded with them to either stay away from her or send her to prison along with the rest of the villains so that she could be free from her blood-stained hands.

Nedzu hadn't wanted to subject a life to filthy cells so young; the scrawny, dark-skinned girl, dressed in nothing but old rags couldn't have been more than fourteen or fifteen years of age. The amount of cruelty it had taken to keep her locked up in such a dingy room with nothing more than a few dirty sheets as a bed… God, he couldn't even imagine someone so cruel. She was practically a child, for goodness sake. The thought alone made a sick feeling rise in his stomach, haunting his nightmares for the last few weeks, among other things.

Nedzu, along with the other heroes on scene had all agreed it would benefit them much more if the young, terrified girl were held at U.A instead. She could learn to overcome her guilt, her fear and self-loathing by training to be a hero instead- she may even make some friends along the way. In Nedzu's mind, the young girl with fearful pretty pink eyes and tangled, silvery blonde hair deserved a second chance. Miu deserved so much more than yellowed walls with peeling, cracked paint or bloodstained walls from her victims.

He brought his attention back to the crowd, pulling himself out of his mind for the time being and when he heard no objections other than a few disgruntled grumbles, Principal Nedzu forces a smile to grace his mousy face before raising a paw, "now that that's settled, let us move on to introducing the new school medic. Everyone, I know a good many of you -myself included- will miss Recovery Girl but please don't allow that to keep you from giving our newest faculty member a warm welcome."

He would surely miss that spunky old woman, and it seemed like all his tea drinking partners were leaving him. With All Might gone as well, who else was he to discuss education theories with? Things at U.A would surely become dull and boring if he couldn't find new friends.

His raised paw beckons someone from across the left side of the stage, "don't be shy now, Mr. Kosenzu."

At his cue, a taller man steps out from behind the curtains, dressed in a freshly ironed grey suit and trouser set, polished black Balmoral shoes on his feet, successfully gaining the attention of all Pro-heroes scrutinizing gazes. For a group of good guys, they could be very intimidating subconsciously, that was for sure. His hair was an orange and blonde twin-tone; part of it swept to the left, partially covering his left eye while the rest of the locks reached his shoulders. His head was downcast and from what they could tell, seemed more preoccupied with fighting a blue tie around his neck than the crowd.

"I'm not shy. I just don't want to appear sloppy." Kosenzu gives an exasperated sigh and lets the tie fall against his chest; mangled knot glaringly obvious on his suit jacket. He hated the things, but he needed to make a good impression, or try to at least.

He looks up at the audience with bright, apologetic blue eyes, "As you can tell this isn't something I'm used to wearing, but nevermind that." The man gives the crowd a polite bow, and when his head comes up again, there is a kind smile on his face, "my name is Kosenzu Yashiru, as principal Nedzu mentioned, I will be taking Recovery Girl's place as the school medic. Naturally, I do have a healing quirk, but I would say it's not as powerful as hers. For one, I can't heal any fatal injuries; I'll make up for that with surgery if need be. Another thing is that I can't heal someone if I have no idea what they're saying to me, my quirk activates if we have physical contact and you explain what needs to be healed. You don't have to be extremely specific, just mention if something is broken or you feel pain anywhere."

They all watch with peaked interest, students perking up in their seats to get a good view when Kosenzu pulls a few vials with a sparkling silver liquid from his suit pocket, "for those cases where someone can't communicate with me, I can always use my tears, they're a by-product of my healing quirk though they take a few minutes to heal someone fully. However, I won't heal you if you go around injuring yourself on purpose. You're all training to be heroes, not walking sacrifices; if you want to be unnecessarily reckless, you can heal the slow and painful way." Sharp and biting were the words; no, this was something the older man would not go back on. His fist clenched at his side; a show that this wasn't the first time he's had to bring this topic up.

The smile was gone now, Kosenzu's blue eyes fierce, all amusement dropped from his face. His aura is darker, something everyone picks up immediately, floating around him something dangerous, lost in his own mind. The students' noticeable shift in their seats, shrinking back a little from the hero as solemn looks cover their own faces. Though as if someone had dunked all of their heads in the cold world, a good-natured laugh is heard from the left side of the stage, successfully making practically half the room, including Kosenzu, jump. It startles everyone out of the suddenly heavy mood, washing them clean of their worries. Some could even say the laughter was a tad familiar - something you heard your whole life in twinkling bells and the ocean breeze - melodic and full of life.

Kozenzu sharply turns his head around to follow the sound to the side of the stage; eyes narrowed in curiosity. A man dressed like a high-tech knight of old strides across the stage to stand by Kosenzu; the likely owner of the laugh. The knight's armor was a glistening silver, a high-tech belt with a ringed buckle wrapped around his waist along with similar rings wrapping around his wrists. A pair of circular goggles adorns his helmet and a metallic shield made from the same material as his armor was hooked on to his back. A ring that looked like a magnifying glass could be seen from the center of the shield. Excited murmurs go through the crowd as many recognize the faint, warm golden glow peeking through the crevices in the armor.

When the knight speaks, his voice is deep, holding a very calming quality to it that's distinctly pleasing to the ear, "Yashiru, you shouldn't be so hard on the children already, they've just barely met you after all."

Kosenzu grumbles something akin to 'they shouldn't be treated like babies either,' but his words are drowned out by the armored man with the booming voice who casually addresses the onlookers, "As for all you potential great heroes if you haven't recognized me yet, my name is Yamashi Akayo, otherwise known as the luminescent hero Bright Lord. I'm sure you can all tell, but my quirk is a mutation based one; my body emits this gorgeous golden hue you can see. However, my quirk is also extremely versatile; not only can I brighten up a dark room, but I can also focus the glow through my armor to create heat, and if I really want to get serious, I can even cut through solid metal with a beam of highly condensed light!"

"For you, students out there that believe you have dull or boring quirks, take a look at heroes like me or EraserHead. Our quirks seem like nothing special on the outside, but with the right training and conviction, they can become a mighty force to reckon with. I have no doubts in my mind that you can and will all be the same way one day!" Cheers went up in the crowd as students began to chatter amongst themselves with newfound vigor excitedly. Yamashi's motivation speech was compelling and no doubt something a good number of students needed to hear. It was hard to be proud of a dull quirk with so many flashy ones stealing the spotlight at all times, but this man was every bit proud of what he had to offer.

Yamashi's face could not be seen through the helmet but everyone could hear the huge grin he most likely wore in his voice as he continued, raising a hand to quiet the chatter, "What happened to Ms. Meirin is incredibly unfortunate, we are all doing our best to catch the crook that took her life, but in the meantime I will be taking her place as your new class 1-B homeroom teacher. Please take care of me, and I will do everything in my power to be your guiding light in this terrible darkness. On that note, if for any reason any of you need help, guidance or just a friendly ear, do not hesitate to find me." Yamashi finishes his speech with an elegant bow, and if it weren't for the goggles concealing his eyes, they would have seen him wink just before he directs their attention back to principal Nedzu.

Immediately, most of the female heroes are left swooning in his wake. Even a few male heroes look to be completely won over by the broad-shouldered hero. Nedzu smiles to himself while watching Yamashi exit the stage and disappear behind the royal blue curtains.

Ahh, yes, what a wonderful hero indeed. He had picked just the right man for the job. Now, just a few more announcements needed to be made, and then they would be dismissed to check the class placement board. Overall, he couldn't really complain about how the entrance ceremony had gone. He could count this as at least one success for U.A.

* * *

 _ **Present day - Billboard hallway**_

After the students had been released from the auditorium, they all split into year groups; first years heading to the billboard hallway while the others went to their respective classes. The first little group to reach the board included many familiar faces from the exams as well as a few others that were not recognized. Who knew that U.A.'s newest year of students would be so huge?

Light brown eyes scan the sheet tacked onto the billboard three times, then once more for good measure. He couldn't believe what he was seeing, he knew they had both gotten a similar amount of points and yet….

"Oboru... you've been staring at that thing for five minutes straight. Clearly, it's not going to change itself magically." The voice belonged to Ritsuo who stood next to him; long curled hair framing his face, a slight smile on his lips, "I got in didn't I?" Really, the fox-faced boy couldn't understand why his friend was so keen at practically burning a hole into the class roster sheet. They're in the same school, what more could Oboru be asking for?

 ** _Name: Ritsuo Kiyobi_**

 ** _Quirk: Will-o-Wisp- Ritsuo is able to create blue fireballs from his hands or mouth, normally following the appearance of a thin blue line at the points of origin. Ritz can control these fireballs at will, changing their shapes on a whim. He even has a resistance to non-quirk related fire._**

Eyes still on the sheet, Oboru shakes his head as his frustration rises with how easy-going Ritz was being. Shouldn't it be obvious as to why he couldn't believe what he was seeing? Clearly, he needed to spell it out for the fox boy. "Yeah you got in but it's not the same, you're in a different class! We've always had the same classrooms, and now we're getting split up? You said you had enough points." He finally takes his eyes off the billboard if only to glare at the blond, the feathers around his neck twitched and rippled in response to his anger.

 ** _Name: Oboru Namikawa_**

 ** _Quirk: Aviary- born with the features of an eagle, Oboru is equipped with sharp talons on both his hands and feet. Large wings on his back make for flying capabilities as well as a huge boost to his speed and evasion. Even his eyesight is top-notch, reading in at 25% better than an average human with perfect vision._**

Ritz's lips form into an "o" shape once the realization dawns on him. So that was why the other boy looked so grumpy? Mischief made the blond smirk, lips curling deviously as he pokes at Oboru's sides. "So that's why you're so grumpy? You're upset that we won't be able to spend all hours of class together? Dawww, you're so cute, Ruru, but don't worry because I'll be more than glad to walk you to class every day."

He practically crowed the words out, bringing a cherry red blush to the brunette's face and causing Oboru to glare even harder. It was a shame that the red tint on his cheeks killed some of the intensity in his eyes. He was going to strangle the fox boy later for poking fun at something he viewed as a serious issue.

Thankfully for Oboru, Ritsuo's silly antics are interrupted when both boys are roughly pushed apart as another male student steps between them. Vibrant red hair and a permanent smirk were his most defining features, familiar and similar to another familiar face seen around. His uniform is of the utmost quality, looking like it belonged on his tall, agile body, shirt-tail tucked into his trousers and tie tied with years of practice. A chain hangs around his neck revealing sparkling dog tags dangling aimlessly against his blazer. He carries his head high, an air of superiority surrounding him and instantly Oboru feels a strong feeling of dislike tug at the back of his mind.

"Move it, sheeple, you're blocking my view! The next top hero needs to be able to see what class he'll bless with his presence this year."

But even with him seeming so familiar, the other two boys couldn't seem to pinpoint exactly who the redhead was. All Oboru knew was that Ritz had nearly fallen over from being shoved away and the bird teen flips into protective tantrum mode. He glares at the redhead, a taloned hand landing on the other teen's shoulder, voice taut with quickly growing anger.

"Sheeple? You just waltz up here pushing people around and don't even bother to apologise? Whatever hero you're trying to be, it definitely won't be anywhere near the top with that trashy attitude."

Akashi looks over his shoulder before sneering at Oboru. In a perfect world, he would have deemed the boy too insignificant to speak to, but the brunette just had to rag on him about the type of hero he'd be in the future. _God, the shit he had to put up with for being at the top_ , the redhead scowled.

 ** _Name: Akashi Ryota_**

 ** _Quirk: Switch- Akashi is able to swap his body with any object 50 meters in his line of sight. A type of instant teleportation but the trick is having an object weighing no more than that his own in his immediate view. The perfect quirk for ambush attacks._**

Squaring his shoulders, the redhead sizes up the feathered brunette. "Let me put this into layman's terms since you seem to have trouble comprehending what you're seeing. I'm the number one recommended student in this year of sorry freshmen rejects like you. You should be bowing down to me and praising me for gracing your existence with my presence. If you still have trouble understanding that then you may as well drop out now, idiots don't make great heroes."

Oboru looks ready to snap at Akashi, face flushed in anger and hands clenching into fists. He only gets so far as to open his mouth before the redhead holds a hand up. "I wasn't done speaking, loser. The names Akashi Ryota, try and keep that memorized. Not like it would matter, by the time I graduate, my name will be all over the billboards. But I've wasted enough time with you, I've got a classroom to dominate."

He then pivots on his heel and saunters away before either boy can reply, hands in his pocket with his head held so high, Ritsuo wonders if it hurts his neck. Oboru had reached the point where he was trembling in anger, making to follow after the other boy only to be stopped once again but by Ritsuo's hand instead of Akashi. At least this time he could bark out his words, "Why are you stopping me? I need to teach that jerk a few lessons that'll involve my fists as much as my words!"

No sooner had he said that then he noticed the way Ritsuo's hands were clenched as well, a fox-like smile on his face. The way his eyes were closed, Oboru knew he wasn't the only one close to snapping. He even backed away a bit, a warning tone in his voice, "Ritz…..you're not thinking of charring that guy, are you?"

For a few moments, the only response Oboru gets is Ritsuo chuckling. But before he could get too worried, the blond opens his eyes and gives him a kinder smile. "Don't worry, Ruru. I won't do anything to him." The word yet hung heavy between, the fox-like boy chuckling again. "We should get to class, oh but we're split up, aren't we? I almost forgot!"

Almost as if the tension were never there, Ritz leans over to plant a kiss on Oboru's lips, outright laughing when the brunette turns cherry red. God, he would never get tired of that reaction. "I'll see you during lunch time, Ruru!" He speeds off after that, laughing more when the other boy yells at him for so-called 'public indecency.'

* * *

 _ **Present day - Hero Course Hallway**_

Gracelynn Mizumi anxiously tugged on the hem of her loose-fitting school issued blazer as she came face to face with the giant white and red metal door, the gleaming and larger-than-life bolded 1-B staring menacingly back at her almost as if taunting her. If she had been sweating earlier, then that was nothing compared to the literal pools of sweat dripping from her shaking palms onto the pristine floor as her heartbeat pounded loudly in her ears.

 ** _Name: Gracelynn Mizumi_**

 ** _Quirk: Aqua form. Gracelynn can turn her body into water, as well as fully control her liquid parts and any liquid that mixes with them. She can only convert up to around 30% of her body into water at a time, and can't transform any vital organs without losing their function completely._**

' _This is really it, I'm here_ ,' she thought in silent awe and fear. After everything she had endured, she was finally a student at U.A. in Japan. The whole situation felt surreal - this day felt like a walking dream, and she had to hold back the familiar stinging sensation in her eyes that first blossomed in her throbbing heart just mere weeks before when she received her acceptance letter. How she had managed to make it into the hero course, was a wonderful miracle and she couldn't even hide the small smile of joy when reading her score. She had cried so much that night that she melted into a watery puddle of mixed emotions on the floor that her father had to coax her back into her solid state.

The blue haired teen had been in a trance since she woke up this morning with barely three hours of sleep from how nervous and relieved she was. Even with so little sleep, she still managed to wake up late, much to her own horror and had to rush to get ready. She barely had any time to brush her straight, dark blue hair or think about personalizing her school attire. So she had settled for the standard uniform without any personal touches on her extremely skinny and short body, down to her boring yet practical ankle socks. She had to choke down her breakfast through the nerves, and all since her father graciously made it for her in his excitement because there was absolutely no way in her kind, too naive heart that she could refuse him - _or anyone else really_ \- anything. And Mizumi honestly debated whether to get off on her subway stop or keep going.

But, she was here, made it through this mornings ceremony and now was entering her first official day in her officially assigned classroom! 'She, of all people, would be a hero! How was it even possible that she made it here? Like this couldn't be real,' Mizumi gave a secret little smile. The thought made her heart soar in her chest and simultaneously made her feel an intense bout of nausea wash over her. Gracelynn frantically clutched her stomach, her permanently angsty features contorting in mixed pain and anxiety.

"Umm, maybe my teacher won't mind if I head to the ladies room first?" She murmured hurriedly to herself and quickly forced her loafered feet to turn around at the same time a tall, toned half-Japanese girl stepped into her personal space.

Mizumi's deep blue puppy-like eyes widened as she took in the sight of the other female invading her space. The girl was at least a foot taller than Gracelynn's own height of 4'4, but the U.A. uniform looked completely different on her own body. Instead of the blazer, the blonde girl wore a vest over her blouse that accented her thin waist and curves and exposing her toned arms. The top two buttons on her blouse remained undone giving a barely there glimpse of her average sized chest, and her tie was missing and black, thigh-high socks accented her toned bordering on muscular legs. Numerous bangles and baubles of bracelets and rings adorned her wrists and fingers, finishing the whole look off with a relatively odd addition of silver dog tags hanging from a small silver chain around her neck.

 ** _Name: Minami Suzaku_**

 ** _Quirk: Rebound. With this emitter type quirk, Suzaku is able to absorb and redirect any kinetic force enacted on her body with a multiplicative effect. Basically, this means she absorbs the energy of any hits she takes and can throw it back at an opponent multiplied by however much energy she's willing to expand. Though, a drawback is that she also still feels the pain behind the hits; the pain is actually lasting as long as she stores that absorbed energy, but she can concentrate it in a specific location._**

All in all, the freckled-face teen thought the blonde was obviously gorgeous, with soft-looking layers of wavy strawberry blonde hair cascading down her back and framing her face, but her hazel eyes glinted with something Gracelynn could only akin to a mixture of confidence and mischief. And she didn't like the emotions stirring up when the other girl grinned such a cocky smile, full lips curling and causing Mizumi to shrink back. 'With that heavy aura surrounding her,' Mizumi thought, 'she's unmistakably a hero course student.'

"Ayy, giving up so fast huh? Or are you not apart of the hero course?" the girl asked, her voice clear and confident, tingling with slight amusement as she waited with a raised light brow for Gracelynn's response. Though, Gracelynn, stood completely frozen, deep blue eyes wide with surprise and her blue eyebrows scrunched together, looking seconds away from bursting into tears or sprinting off down the hallway. Her mind was flashing with big 'warning' and 'abort' sighs going off in bright colors as the not so subtle signs of a panic attack on the rise. Suzaku, on the other hand, seemed completely oblivious to this as she kept talking, brushing her long waves of hair over her shoulder.

"Are you lost? Do you need some directions or something? This is the hero course section of the school, fam. If that isn't you, then you need to go back down that corridor until you get to the four-way cross-section, which will take you to numerous other courses. You don't really look all too heroic, like, no offense."

The blue-haired girl's mouth fell open in mortification and surprise, gaping like a fish out of water to open and close mutely. Oh shoot, what should she say? Is she off to a bad start already? But, she belongs here! She's also a part of the course… Even if she doesn't really look like hero material… She knew it was somehow a miracle that she passed the physical section of the exams and she knew that she had a lot of work to do until she could master her quirk but she did try her best and would continue to do so until she made it as a heroine. 'But first, maybe let's find a way out of here?' Gracelynn whined to herself as the other girl continued to close in on her.

Gracelynn's heart thudded in her chest, eyes darting around to the mostly void hallway to look for a possible exit. Just a few lingering students excitedly chatting with one another by the long row of lockers placed against the floor to ceiling windows adjacent to 1-B's entrance. 'Maybe if I could just sprint really fast past her then I could get away until seconds from class starting, that way I wouldn't disturb anyone and I could get in and out of the classroom without anyone noticing?' The freckled face girl planned out just before a hand landed on her shoulder and she let out a loud, mortifying squeak that echoed down the hallway.

Suzaku jumped in shock, reaching her hand back as if she was burned at the same time the horror washed over Gracelynn and she quickly ducked her head, covering her warm, brightly blushing cheeks with her hands. 'Oh god, oh god, oh god. Why did I do that? Everyone is looking at me now… Where is the confidence that I had during my exam? They probably think I'm a freak. I wish I could melt away.' Gracelynn whined as she felt her arms slowly turning into liquid.

"Woah, Woah, chill out girl. No need to activate your quirk! You're spacing out on me there. Are you mute or something?" Suzaku rushed to get the blunt words out, hazel eyes scanning over the smaller, skinny girl to locate the source of her distress. When she found none, her eyebrows shot up in confusion but before she could say anything the bluenette's soft voice finally rang out.

"I-I umm-uhh, belong in the hero course… In 1-B… Sorry for disturbing you I need to go to the bathroom. Uh yeah, sorry," Gracelynn murmured so quietly that Suzaku had to strain her ears even remotely to pick up what the girl had said. Immediately, the boisterous blonde gave a chirping laugh and placed both hands on either of Gracelynn's shoulders, using her strength and the tiny size of the other girl to forcefully pivot her around on her feet to face 1-B's door again.

"I guess that makes us classmates then, water girl. Now get in there and show everyone you're hero material. Hiding in the bathroom will get you nowhere in life."

Mizumi felt the weight of a palm on her back, and before she knew it, the girl behind her used her tall height to crane over her and wrenched the door open while simultaneously pushing her forward and into the classroom. Instantly she felt the weight of numerous gazes land on her trembling form. Gracelynn is inevitably frozen to the floor, unable to move a single limb to reach her seat as she finds her gaze scanning along the pairs of curious eyes looking back at her. The classroom isn't entirely full, but there aren't that many students who had made it to 1-B yet. These few had to have fought their way through the crowd of students even to view the class roster.

On the first seat of the second row, a small boy with his dark hair combed back into a neat style craned in his seat, mid-turned to catch a glimpse at the new-comers with a curious gaze. He was of average height and pretty slim, though very unassuming and wasn't very well-built. He was cute, in an adorable kind of way, she assumed but his appearance, it didn't really give her an idea of what his quirk may possibly be.

Her attention drew to the person seated behind him, another boy, this one tall with long gangly limbs and a sick looking frame whose mouth was open in mid-conversation with the small boy. His white hair looked unkempt and sloppy, just a fraction shy of shoulder length, and he looked up from his light fringe with shocking pale blue eyes trained on Gracelynn. Just from his appearance, she couldn't really fathom this boy's quirk either. Though the boy behind him was another story, arms crossed over his lean chest with a unique tattoo under his eye that peeked out from under a wayward spike of black hair. He sat quietly, even gaze on his pale face, not giving anything away. He was handsome in the roughed sense, mysterious and calculated, almost to the point of aloofness. Huh, what's up with that tattoo on his face? Maybe it has something to do with his quirk? The half sun under his eye did make him look a little intimidating though and Gracelynn gulped to herself.

Across from him, directly on his left on the third seat of the first row next to the large windows sat a girl who looked mildly familiar, Gracelynn thought. Maybe she had seen her at the exams perhaps? Her appearance was unmistakable, a tall and slim girl, with three pairs of solid purple eyes that surprisingly held an innocent gaze but the longer you look, the creepier the heavy gaze felt. Sharp teeth barely peaked out from her pink lips, much like a spider's but not as menacing. Her hair is white and tied back in twintails on either side of her head with large black bows that falls to the middle of her back. And if her eyes and teeth weren't giving anything away, her patterned spiderweb tights really did the trick. She sat with her back straight as a rail, with her legs crossed at the angle, very polite and lady-like.

Must be a spider-related quirk? Maybe a mutation then? She wondered to herself.

The last person in the room was also in the third seat but of the third row. The boy had an intense aura, his slanted black eyes hard and guarded under neat, short black hair. His frame was wiry with muscles, though other than his build and demeanor, he seemed to blend in almost, unassuming and ordinary. Though, something in his gaze made Gracelynn feel the urge to shutter like he was trying to pinpoint her weaknesses and quickly broke their stare by snapping her eyes over to the row of windows lining the far side of the room.

Just as quickly as the voices had stopped when the two walked in, they started back up again, resuming where they left off and successfully leaving Gracelynn to her own devices. ' _Oh thank goodness_ ,' she breathed to herself and felt the tension in her shoulders drop just a fraction at the loss of attention.

"See now that wasn't so bad, right? Now we're in!" Suzaku exclaims, before side-stepping out from behind Mizumi's smaller body and leaving the other girl behind in her wake. Mizumi finds herself watching the other girl's confident strides, her fair hair billowing out behind her like a cape. ' _If only I could be that self-assured, then surely I could be as brave of a hero as Suzaku, right_?'

With staring off after Suzaku, the blue haired girl didn't notice her surroundings until after a rough shoulder banged into her own, jarring her from her thoughts and causing her to stumble a little more into the room. ' _Oh no! I shouldn't have been in the way! Try not to fall! Gosh, I can be so stupid!'_ Mizumi gasped in surprise, struggling to pull her backpack back into her grip and right her balance. When her chests finally stopped racing a mile a minute, she turned to see the culprit, apology ready on her lips before a haughty voice sneered back at her and the apology died on her tongue, "Watch it, loser, you're standing in the middle of the doorway. Make room for the future number one hero."

Mizumi let a small squeak fall from her lips, a horrible feeling of dread lurching into a tight ball in her stomach when the boy met her gaze. She immediately found herself obeying his request, lurching back as if she were stung, eyes turned into saucers. Fiercely intense crimson eyes glared back at her - looked down onto her - as if she was the scum of the earth and whatever feelings of excitement she may have had at the beginning of the day had all but shriveled up and died within her at that moment. The boy was extremely tall, much taller than even Suzaku and just as pale, with a lean frame and a spiky yet stylish mess of red hair. She couldn't shake the thought of this boy being on the cover of some kind of shoujo manga or something, with his rugged pretty boy appearance. Though with his lips curled up into a nasty sneer, contorting his face into something bridging on meanness, destroyed any sense of possible attractiveness.

Mizumi for once actually felt a huge wave of relief flood through her when she heard the familiar confident voice of Suzaku pop up. The blonde girl practically threw her head back at breakneck speed, her mouth opened in an impossibly wide grin that made Gracelynn think she looked practically insane. Though this feeling only increased when the sarcastic bout of laughter left her mouth.

"Oh my god, this guy has to be the most hilarious person I've met so far at this school. Number one hero my ass! Can you believe it?" Suzaku slapped her thighs like a madwoman, cackles filling the air just as tears formed in her hazel eyes. She exaggeratedly wiped them away, just as Mizumi shrank back even more into herself when she noticed the redheaded boy closing in on the other girl. ' _Oh my gosh, she has a deathwish... She really does want to die_ ,' Mizumi squeaked to herself, fighting the urge not to run away.

"What's so fucking hilarious about that? Clearly, you don't know who I am, or you'd regret everything you just said." The boy said through gritted teeth, eyes of fire trained on the strawberry blonde's lightly pink face before she leaned forward almost boredly onto her desk. Her eyes were bright, a familiar cocky glimmer swirling in the depths while she leered back at him.

"Clearly you don't know who I am if you think you're going to be number one. I'm Minami Suzaku, recommended student to U.A." The girl mockingly taunted, flipping her hair over her shoulder as the boy scoffed and rolled his eyes. Gracelynn's heart raced in fear for the courageous blonde who she thought either really wanted to die or wasn't afraid of anyone.

' _Oh wow, so she was one of the recommended students they mentioned at the entrance ceremony! No wonder she is so confident_.'

"You think I'm impressed by your stupid recommendation? Well, meet the number one recommended student, dumb bitch. Akashi Ryota. Now stop wasting my time," Akashi's voice is a literal growl that causes practically every person in the room to flinch back, surprise showing on their faces and what was left of all conversation dropped. All eyes were on the redhead, and he was basking in it. Looking down at Suzaku like he was made to do so. Suzaku glared back at him, but her mouth stayed shut, hazel eyes dark with annoyance. Her attractive, mixed-heritage features were anything but attractive right now with her full lips pulled in that deep scowl. Mizumi couldn't help but fear that scowl turned onto herself.

 _So he's the other recommended student? Who knew we had two just in our class!_ But it made sense, Gracelynn thought, the two carried themselves differently than everyone else, heads held high and overflowed with assertiveness without even trying.

' _Was this what a real hero looked like?_ '

The moment was interrupted as a few other students flooded the room in a small group. Gracelynn awkwardly turned to face them just as Suzaku and Akashi did the same, backing up a little to linger in the empty space by the teacher's desk so she wouldn't be in the way. A brown haired boy with brown eyes led the pack, his uniform bright and almost offensive with the clash of colors, bright green trousers and purple shoes, his blazer's sleeves rolled up wo his elbows exposing two brown bands that wrapped around his pale wrists. A bright easy-going smile on his face that lit up the tense atmosphere of the room and immediately lessened the coil of anxiety in her stomach. He carried his backpack over one shoulder, voice carrying out in part of a conversation that was surely missed in the hallway. Gracelynn quickly used the interruption as an opportunity to take her own seat.

She snapped around to view the board to see her name directly underneath Suzaku's…. Gracelynn's stomach jolted at the realization, ' _Oh gosh, not again_..' her shoulders slumped in defeat. But, with the boy's getting closer and closer to her, she raced to her seat, plopping down directly behind the blonde girl before anyone took notice, that is - all except for the dark haired intense boy from before who now sat directly behind her. She let out a small _eep_ -ing sound when his slanted, cold eyes met her own and she quickly turned to face the front of the room. Though thankfully, the brunette boy at the front of the room immediately continued talking, the relief flooding through her when his voice filled the air and successfully took the attention off of her.

"Yeah man, that's what I'm sayin', those robots were absolutely crazy! I couldn't believe the school tried to get us with our own upperclassmen. It was insanely cool but super risky! I can't believe we were in the same sector and I never even saw you. And now we're in the same class!" the brunette exclaimed, shooting the boy at his side an easy smile. He then casually glanced over the occupants of the room, sensing the weird atmosphere and his smile turned to a somewhat awkward one.

 ** _Name: Ryuji Izuna_**

 ** _Quirk: Blood Manipulation. Ryuji can control his blood and harden it creating any type of weapon he can think of. Ryuji can also harden his blood and shoot them at his opponents as little sharp shards that look like crystals. Though, the longer Ryuji uses his quirk, the weaker he becomes from blood loss._**

At the brunette's side, a tall pretty blonde haired boy - or what Gracelynn assumed to be a boy - chuckled, sharp, fox-like eyes glinting with something bridging on feral that gleamed in the light and tainting his delicate feminine face. "Well, looks like we were a little late to the party, huh? They're already getting things started without us," the boy, Ritsuo, laughed, brushing his long, slightly curled blonde ponytail over his shoulder.

Ryuji gave the other boy a look that almost pleaded, ' _now isn't the time, dude_ ,' and shuffled the rest of the way inside the room to make way for the rest of the people trying to get by the corridor. Two girls emerged right behind them, though, one of the girl's frame was so wide that she could barely fit through the incredibly large doorway. A hot pink skinned girl swung her way inside on giant closed fists and hulking muscular veiny arms. Her petite body greatly contrasted to the beefy arms at her sides, almost comically so with her flat chest and slight features, she looked more like a child with huge arms. Feet dangling in the air to never grazing the ground, U.A. uniform in place. She had tied her light blue hair into low twin braids at either side of her head bounced with her movements, a hello-kitty clip fastened in her hair. Gracelynn could have sworn she saw every pair of eyes in the room immediately settle on the pink skinned girl and she couldn't blame them.

Her blue, gem-like eyes sparkled with pure joy, a bright, braces-filled smile making her beam like a literal ray of sunshine, the grin only rivaling that of the brunette boy's. Her features were absolutely adorable, she was undeniably a cute girl, with her lightly chubby cheeks and almost childlike appearance.

"Did you say party? I love parties! Please don't start without us," the blue-haired girl exclaimed, her sweet, high pitched voice making Ritsuo chuckle. It was evident that the tense situation went over the girl's head, losing itself in her innocent smile as she swung herself into the room.

 ** _Name: Kawachi Pompom_**

 ** _Quirk: Anchor Arms. Pompom's arms are extremely big and muscular that reach all the way to the ground! While her arms are extremely tough and strong, their largeness hides her walking, so she has to walk like a gorilla!_**

Ryuji grinned back at the other, shaking his head in fondness of the girl before he made his way to the board, glanced over to read his name off of the list at the front of the room and moved to his seat. The blonde following close behind with a half-hearted read of the seating chart and the two sat at their seats on the last row, closest to the door, Ritsuo claiming the seat at the very front, with Ryuji behind him. Pompom continued to swing herself by the door, curiously looking around with that same metal encased smile of hers. After a second, the girl's grin melted away, replaced by a frown of confusion, eyes blinking at the awkwardness of the room.

"Watanabe, I don't see any party here…" the blue-haired girl trailed off, turning her head to glance over a hulking shoulder at someone behind her.

From behind Pompom, the last member of the group walked through the door. Ah, this must be Watanabe, Gracelynn thought when she spotted ahead of lavender hair poke out from behind the other girl. Immediately, the second girl was in view, "He didn't mean that kind of party, Pom. Maybe next time," she spoke, voice high and calm though hinting with amusement and affection.

Her sharp grey eyes were framed by thick eyelashes, a light eyeliner making them stand out against her pale face. She carried herself with an aura of carefully constructed collectiveness and walked with a almost subconscious grace, down to the light swing of her hips. She had soft pretty features and bangs that covered part of her eyebrows, a few longer strands falling to frame her face. The rest of her lavender hair pulled up in a bun at the top of her head, revealing blue tassel earrings that dangle half-heartedly from her earlobes.

Her face was painted with light makeup with a pale lipstick tinting her full lips. The uniform clung to her slender yet curvy womanly frame. She was slim and slight, with a finely toned body made for swiftness and about average height for a female, maybe a little taller with a slim waist and slightly wider hips. A small, delicate necklace hung over her a little above average chest where she was missing her tie, and on closer inspection, the little golden charm looked to be an odd shape, a small triangle with a line through the top. Clean white sneakers and knee-high black socks that showed off her toned calves and thighs completing her look.

 ** _Name: Watanabe Kaiya_**

 ** _Quirk: Air Manipulation. Kaiya can create, shape and manipulate air, and wind, movement of air relative to the surface of the planet, creating air-based attacks and projectiles and repel objects to an extent. Since air cannot be seen by conventional methods, neither can the attacks and derivatives formed by/from it, making it an invisible and versatile weapon that is very difficult to block and dodge, which she combines with specialized martial-arts to attack opponents head-on. Though, she may be unable to create air/wind out of nothing, being limited to manipulating only from already existing sources, leaving her useless when placed in a vacuum or variations in air pressure._**

"What kind of class did I get put into? You're all a bunch of annoying idiots that are beneath my level," Akashi hissed, flipping his wayward flaming hair out of his eyes and stomped over to the first-row seat, throwing his weight down before smoothing out his blazer and tie. Next, to him, the small, mousy looking boy cowered deeper down in his seat, eyes wide like a deer caught in headlights and looked like he'd rather be anywhere else but here. Honestly, now that Gracelynn was meeting her classmates, she could relate in wanting to shrink into her chair.

These would be the people she had to deal with for the entire year?

Slowly, the room started to fill up with the remaining students, everyone taking their seats as the clock edged closer to the starting bell. Of course, they had lost an hour or so because of the opening ceremony, but they would still have regular classes, just cut a little shorter than usual. Suddenly the familiar high-pitched tinkling bell rang over the school, echoing in the classroom and everyone dropped silently.

After a few long minutes, someone asked, "Uhh, where's our teacher?" A muffled feminine voice piped in from the last row, and Gracelynn quickly turned her head to see a familiar face. ' _Wait, I know her - Nyoko, the girl who rescued me during the exams_!'

Gracelynn felt a bashful smile grow onto her face as she took in the sight of the tall teenager. ' _How did I not notice her earlier? She must've slipped in last minute!_ ' Nyoko sat in the third seat down on the last row, in between Ryuji and Watanabe. Her warm brown eyes blinked, filled with curiosity with her head tilted to lay on her open palm that she propped up on her desk by her elbow. Her short, dark blue bob curled around her sharp jawline and that same green mask covered her mouth, but now, Gracelynn was aware of the purpose of the strange mask that hid half of the girl's face. The top few buttons of her white button-up remained open, revealing a teal choker fastened around her neck and yellowish skin. Green sneaker cladded feet propped up comfortably on the back of Ryuji's chair in front of her, skirt hanging off of her muscular thighs and shifting with her movements. ' _I swear, she looks like she's at ease everywhere she goes_ …' Gracelynn thought with a sigh if only she could feel that way too.

 ** _Name: Shozo Nyoko_**

 ** _Quirk: Plague. When Nyoko exhales through her mouth, she releases a contagious disease into the air. The disease takes the form of a cloud of yellow gas, visible to the human eye. If you so much as breathe in the gas, you'll catch the plague. The plague itself isn't toxic or deadly, but if you catch it, it'll take a toll on you. It rapidly leeches away at your energy, makes you move more sluggishly and makes you cough violently. When the plague itself is released into the air, it hangs around like a cloud. It can hang in the air up to a full 30 seconds before dissipating into nothing._**

Before anyone had any time to answer the girl, the door to 1-B was swinging open revealing a blur of Luminescent colors that invaded their senses. The students all blinked wildly and rubbed their eyes, trying to comprehend just what the hell was going on. _Were they under attack? Was this some new defense training_? The luminescent light from above only enhanced his literal shine, making it very hard on their eyes to comprehend what they were seeing until they finally adjusted to the blinding. Finally, what appeared to be a man or someone in a suit of glowing armor, came into view, hands placed confidently on either side of his hips.

' _Ahh, it's the new teacher for 1-B! Bright Lord, from the auditorium. He gave that very inspiring speech that had everyone swooning_ ,' Gracelynn thought to herself as the man fully entered the room to stand tall and proud among the young heroes. His posture was straight and tall; shoulders rolled back and body at attention. He looked like that of a proper noble or a knight right out of a history book, though, with more _pizazz_ , Mizumi mussed.

 ** _Name: Yamashi Akayo, The Knight in Shining Armor, 'Bright Lord'_**

 ** _Quirk: Luminescent. Yamashi's entire body is engulfed in a bright light at all times! Due to this, you can't see any of his physical features! Though, that's one of the reasons why he wears his knight's armor._**

The hero finally addressed the class, his warm, authoritative voice caressing their ears and lighting that spark of excitement in their bones, "Good morning children, I'm your homeroom teacher, Bright Lord. It's a pleasure to meet you all, and I hope you'll please excuse me for my tardiness. How rude of me to start class off this way but I had to pick up our last little friend."

'Little friend?' Mizumi furrowed her brow in confusion, freckled face scrunching up as she tried to target what the man was talking about but seeing no one else with him. Was he okay? That's when she noticed out of the corner of her eye, the only empty seat left in the room, directly next to Watanabe. The hero instantly stepped to the side, closer to his desk which gave Gracelynn and the rest of her peers a view as to whom the knight was talking about, to rest their eyes upon a short, scrawny looking girl.

The school uniform adorned her skinny, to the point of bridging on sickly, frame and honestly made a churning feeling stir in the pit of Gracelynn's stomach. In other words, she looked downright malnourished, not that Gracelynn wanted to judge her since she was also very skinny herself, but the whole thing didn't sit right with her, down to the way the blazer and skirt seemed to hang off of her tiny body. Jinbei-san patterned knee highs clung to her stick-like legs as she shuffled her feet in embarrassment at the attention. Her light brown skin seemed to be dull in color, from maybe some sort of sickness, but she was, uh, blessed in other areas, such as her slightly larger assets, making her seem oddly proportioned. Large light pink upturned eyes stared shyly down at the floor, with her silvery blonde shoulder length wavy hair tied in a half up, half down style with a butterfly hairpin holding it back.

Though what really unnerved Mizumi was the numerous scars that littered the girl's face. One small one in her left eyebrow, one at the corner of her left eye, three claw looking ones on her left ear, one thin one on her left cheekbone and another one under her jaw on the left side. Just what in the world happened to this girl?

As if reading her thoughts, Bright Lord continued to speak.

"Class, please meet the last addition to 1-B, Otsuka Miu."

All of the air in the room seemed to suck out at once, tension rising in Gracelynn's chest and sinking low in her stomach as she waited with bated breath in the pin-dropping silence that overtook the room at once. She held her breath in her throat, eyes wide in complete shock and it felt like if she listened hard enough, she could hear the thoughts on everyone's minds.

Otsuka Miu, the criminal and newest student of U.A.

* * *

 **- _End Chapter Two Part One_**

 **AND there was part one of the first day of school! OMG THE WHOLE CREW IS COMING TOGETHER! CLASS 1-B IN THE HOUSE! Did you guys like the little descriptions we have for their quirks? That was the brilliant Luna's idea! Bless my perfect co-author. :') And give a warm welcome to our new recommended students: Akashi, Suzaku, and Kaiya! And our dearest little villain sweetheart, Otsuka! :D Who's your new fav oc? Anyone stand out this time?**

 **The next part of this chapter should continue with the first day of school, get more into Miu and a certain missing oc that you guys might've picked up on being absent from the class! ;) We should also have our first assignment and maybe getting into some quirks and more interactions. You guys know the drill, If you have any scene ideas, or even want to see certain characters interact, please let us know in your review.**

 **Thanks again, everyone** **! Please remember to R &R. Advice and constructive criticism are both welcome.**

 **Have a wonderful day! Hit us up on PM or through the forum! Thanks sweeties!**


	9. Ch 2 Part 2: Unsure Beginnings Contin

Hey again dears! How are you all doing?! Wow we actually managed to make it on schedule lol, I'm so proud! XD We really tried to make it up to you guys for how sweet and supportive you've all been with us being gone. Especially with how busy we've both been lately with work. You're all the best, and we hope that you guys seriously understand that. :)

Luna and I have really loved chatting with all of you and making tons of friends. Your reviews have literally been the light of our lives, we can't even stop talking about how amazing you all are with taking the time to write such lengthy reviews and PM us, we're so grateful, and it really warms our hearts. They keep us going and are the reason we're always so motivated to update this story. All of your enthusiasm and interest fuel our writing and we're just so glad to go on this journey together. We read each and every comment and try to take your constructive criticism to better ourselves, and we hope it's reflecting in our chapters.

I know I say this like every time, but I'm super anxious about this chapter because of the extremely monstrous length we had to leave out a lot of detail that we'd usually include. So I hope you guys enjoy it and you don't literally fall asleep with this _**wordcount of over 17,000.**_ This is literally the longest chapter we've ever posted LOL XD I'm shook it ended up being so long, but we had a ton to include XD

 **-IMPORTANT- In the last update I posted about the polls being open on my profile for you to all vote on class rep and vice, so if you haven't done that already, please make sure to stop by and give us your vote! Also, a huge special thanks and shoutout to _DeathDealer Inc_ for going out of their way to create the awesome new fansite for this fic on TVTropes! And thanks to all of you guys who gave us the okay to run the site. Please check that out and update your characters profiles if you'd like, you all have free reign to explore and post. Luna and I are excited for all of us to use it together as a way to keep up with characters, events, etc, so please check out the link when you have the time (it'll be posted on my profile or you can PM me for it). Thank you!**

 **ANNNNDDD Per request from several reviewers and PMs, we actually used your idea of putting class 1-B in a randomize generator to pick the groups for this chapter, so I hope this meets your standards~ We can't wait to hear your thoughts. Luna and I were dying over the** **groups** **xD**

 **Let us know what you think of it! Just let us know in a review below. :)**

 **Disclaimer** \- **We do not own My Hero Academia. This story is merely a work of fiction.**

 **Rating \- M - for graphic scenes of violence, horrific events, death, murder, language, angst, etc.**

 **Warnings \- THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS ADULT LANGUAGE AND MENTAL ABUSE. You have been warned. Please read at your own discretion. Turn back now if this is not for you**.

* * *

 **Chapter Two Part Two:**

 **Unsure Beginnings**

 _ **Same day - Downtown**_ ** _Musutafu, Japan_**

 _ **Location: Autumn Leaves Teashop**_

Yozaki had been watching her for a while, just out of the corner of his eyes, as not to be too noticeable to draw unwanted attention to himself, but his peripheral vision never once left the woman.

The cat-like man had been waiting in the old tea shop for over an hour, flicking his tail lazily back and forth behind him as he skimmed through the latest issue of ' _Heroes Weekly_ ,' magazine for the fifteenth time, his fourth cup of tea in hand. The atmosphere was dark and comfortable, leaving a warm feeling in your chest to match the equally warm tea that filled your belly. No one would think to look for him here, to even really notice him in the traditional shop amongst the gaggle of people already crowding the limited space, a mixture of businessmen, socialite upper-class women, and broke college students using the tiny booths for the free wifi.

The twenty-six-year-old snorted to himself as he let the garbage gossip magazine fall to the tea-stained tabletop. He wasn't even mentioned in this issue, what a waste. He probably looked hilarious, he thought amusedly, with his extremely tall and muscular build practically dwarfing the already tiny table he sat at in the corner of the shop, farthest away from the door and even further away from other chatty or noisy customers.

His short, black hair was slicked back, the rounded edges of his rectangular glasses perched on the bridge of his nose, shielding his pale yellow eyes from view. Form-fitting black jeans clung to his muscular legs, paired off with a black long sleeved shirt and a black sweater vest on top that hit most of the well-defined muscles of his chest. His paw-like feet were barefooted as usual, void of all constricting shoes thanks to the padding on the bottom of the soft paws that protected him from the rough ground. It felt strange to wear civilian clothes rather than his costume, but he had to blend in for this to be successful. He couldn't walk around looking like a villain - no, that would alert some unnecessary attention, _but could also be kinda fun_ … He mused to himself, a smirk curling across his thin lips. He could picture it now, screaming mothers and fathers, gripping their crying children, teens and elderly alike all trying to get out of his path.

' _Ahh, the good times_. _Such a shame that All Might- hah! All Might what? That monster hero is retired; gone and out of my way for good! The good times can and will come whenever I please.'_

Yozaki leaned back in his chair, tilting the legs as far back as he could without falling and let his narrowed gaze fall to the perfect view across the room. She kneeled politely, knees placed carefully together on the floral patterned floor pillow in front of the dark wood Chabudai table. The dark haired woman carefully sips from her teacup, like the epitome of grace and femininity, using her free hand to dab the corner of her soft pink lips with a lacey white napkin.

Of course, she is the picture of classic Japanese beauty, with her long obsidian hair, falling pin straight down the length of her slender back, with equally inky strands of bangs brushing her forehead. Two strands of hair frame the sides of her heart-shaped face, accenting the slim jawline and cheeks littered with freckles. A black kimono clings to her thin torso, decorated with a blue flower design on the top, sleeves, and hem and from what he can see peeking out from under the table, she had a white obi with the same flower pattern wrapped around her slim waist. But the only thing making her stand out would be the sharp-as-knives nails that pierce from the beds of her fingers, curling long and wicked - an unspoken yet dangerous promise against her delicate hands.

Yep, she looks exactly as described, beauty and all - prim and proper like she's too good for the world. He feels his smirk widen its way across his face, eyes glinting with a sharpness that hinges on mischievous and something else, ' _she's the one_.'

As if she can read his thoughts, those ethereal, monochromatic eyes meet his own, white pupils and black irises as sharp as a dagger and just as dangerous and his smirk only widens. Yozaki doesn't waste any time placed the legs of his chair back onto the ground, then reaches forward and picks up both the teacup and magazine, placing the latter under his arm. The tall, raven-haired man moves with the ease and slyness of a feline, slinking over until he stands directly in front of the dark-haired woman, who glances up at him passively, eyes flickering almost in boredom before glancing back down to the dainty teacup she holds in her hands.

Yozaki finally gets a look at the claws up close. They're somewhat short for what he'd consider claws, only about a few inches in length but they have almost razor-like edges, sharp and glinting under the tea shop lights, definitely a weapon by his standards.

Before she can say anything, the man drops down onto his own knees on the empty pillow adjacent to hers, tossing the magazine onto the tabletop, barely missing the small saucer for her teacup which he notes, makes her top lip tick in well-concealed irritation.

Yozaki makes himself comfortable, ignoring the intense and silent stare of the occupant, as he sits down his own cup to flip through the magazine yet again. The colorful, glossy pages beam in the dim lighting of the small shop, and he notices out of the corner of his eyes the woman's fleeting glance down at the material.

"Are you up for a little game? Maybe a bet?" His voice is smooth, practically a deep purr resonating from deep down in his chest causing the woman to barely bat her dark eyelashes.

"You know what you're here for," She answers back monotonously, without looking up from her tea, the steam rising and curling into the air with an elegant swirl. Her voice is barely above a whisper, almost as if she hadn't used it in quite some time but still clear as day. Her pretty face never breaks the blank expression, eyes passive and empty but he knows better. ' _She's perfect_ ,' his thinks with a hiss, a thrill of electricity coursing through his veins making his smirk rise even further, almost threatening to split his face into two. He hadn't felt so alive in a while now, and he loved the feeling.

Customers around them move and chatter quietly, ignoring the two at the side of the room. The atmosphere remaining cozy and warm, with the dim lighting and dark furnishings giving the place an intimate feel and if anyone were to look at the two, they'd think they were friends just catching up, or acquaintances out to lunch. _Well, he guesses they were technically the latter, right?_

"Awww, you're making this no fun! You and that other guy, both are a bunch of stiffs. It's the worst. With a name like ' _ **Apex**_ ,' I thought you'd be cooler, but you're just the same," he whines out loud, exaggeratedly and childish, smirk playful and almost carefree, but his yellow orbs narrow sharply, digging, prying. But the woman never takes the bait, carelessly batting her long eyelashes and keeping her expression neutral, just as he expected.

Apex barely spares him another look before taking another polite sip from her cup, and for a long few seconds, Yozaki wonders if she'd even grace him with an answer before she finally speaks again.

"Human Anglerfish, twenty-two, runaway. Now go," Apex says in her wispy tone before turning away from him, hiding her face behind dark inky strands of hair, nose upturned into the air with a clear disinterest and a small scowl that she quickly covers. ' _Men,_ ' she thinks with a sneer, hatred burning searing hot through her veins and clenching her insides but she remains passive. She would not be fool enough to give him the satisfaction, that was beneath her. And she knew types like him, something like that would just feed his ego.

' _Well,_ ' Yozaki smiles, ' _that's all I needed then, might as well go_.' He then stands up, leaving his magazine and teacup onto the table and the woman looks up at him through dark bangs and cold eyes. He digs around into his pants pocket before finding something, then pulls out a slip of paper and casually places it onto the table beside his teacup. She spares the parchment a small look before he speaks.

"What a lovely chat and all, but I guess I have a job to do. Think you can cover my bill?" Yozaki laughs out loud, smooth and rich, tail flicking behind him back and forth, "Thanks for the tea, boss." Apex had rolled her eyes at him again, counting the seconds before he would be gone and out of sight, only for her eyes to widen in shock as she felt his fingers gracing her hair. The cat man was chuckling again, twisting ebony locks between his sharp nails. Suddenly his eyes widen as well, pupils dilating just like a cat spotting prey and his heart skips three beats as he yanks his hand back with the reflex of someone touching something hot.

Only he had seen it, watching as Apex had swung a delicate hand out with her razor claws aimed for his own. His laugh after that could have been considered nervous, but his heart was pounding to the beat of adrenaline rush, excitement making his tail twitch spastically. "You almost got me there….almost-" and then he sees it, a few strands of dark hair drifting past his face, too short to belong to the woman in front of him. Yozaki even feels a sharpness of cold on his cheek, bringing a hand to touch his face; beautiful red color comes away, staining his pale fingers and the cat man feels his furry ears twitch.

She had gotten him, he had only just barely escaped possibly losing a hand or even part of his face and he literally purrs. But the woman wasn't smiling, no, Apex was glaring daggers at him that would have killed a more fragile man, her voice slipping between supple lips as a dangerous whisper. "Next time you touch my hair, you won't have a tongue to repeat that sentence with. Now get lost before I truly lose my temper."

How badly the tall man wanted to stay, to test those waters of just how dangerous Apex could be but even he knew better. If a fight broke out now, the cops and heroes would be all over him. Not like he considered that much of a threat, the only truly dangerous hero had retired. Yet, he still didn't take the chance. There were plenty of other days to play his little games. His voice is smooth and velvety once again, "I retract my earlier statement. You're not as lame as I originally thought. You just need someone to push you into being more fun. Tah-tah for now, _boss._ " He departs soon after that, with an obnoxious bow to the woman, sauntering away while humming a tune with his tail flicking behind him playfully. Perhaps this Angler Fish would be up for a bet once Yozaki had located the man. Something to spice up their mission and give it a nice coating of fun.

Apex watched the cat man disappear from the tea shop, wondering why she continued to bother with men like that. His only true use seemed to be in locating potential targets for her plans, but his antics- she wanted nothing more than to mutilate him for each one. However, she couldn't risk doing that, not when the patrons of the little tea shop had been looking her way. She could feel curious eyes drifting over to her and Yozaki, wondering and speculating as to why the man had jerked back the way he had.

She wanted to call them all idiots, to mind their own business - to scream and rip and tear away at them, breath coming out in wild pants and eyes blazing with emotions she'd never show - but instead, she simply goes back to her tea. Sipping the drink as delicately as ever, dabbing at an artfully powdered cheek until she was sure they had forgotten about her. The day for actions like that would come in its own time.

* * *

 _ **Present day - Billboard hallway**_

Could the first day of school be any more of a drag? To a young teenage boy by the name of Nemuro, the answer was a megaphoned, loud and enthusiastic 'Yes.' The whole speech and introductions in the auditorium had dragged on for what seemed like hours. The already exhausted boy couldn't even remember exactly what part he passed out on, all he knew is that he woke up long after the area had cleared out.

While that hadn't bothered him much, it was on his trip to the bulletin board that things started spiraling down. First, he couldn't find the board itself, ending up in the massive cafeteria as delicious smells wafted around him. Finding food wasn't really a bummer, it was delicious, but it caused him to waste even more time. Then, he found the board listing all the classes and students- only to see that his name wasn't even written on there. Like what was even it's purpose at that point?

He'd huffed and rolled his eyes at that, another freaking marathon for him to run: finding the guidance counselor and principal's office. He'd found that much quicker but then had to listen to the teachers and the mole prattle on and on about him needing to fix his tardiness before it became a habit. Honestly, half their words went in one ear and out the other, Nemuro didn't even want to be in school today; preferring to be in this bed instead. But school never did run on his schedule; he just had to suck it up.

Eventually, the staff decided on holding a vote for his placement and Nemuro couldn't even contain the groans of irritation that left his throat. Honestly, for a hero school, shouldn't they be more prepared? Who leaves only one student without a classroom placement? And that's how he ended up walking down the barren hero course hallway to try and find class 1-B, while every other student was already in their proper class.

What a freaking day. Was it a mistake to choose such an active school?

The purple haired boy shoved his hands into the pockets of his loose grey trousers that barely stayed in place with a sloppily clasped belt on his narrow hips, crumbling the paper he'd been given by the rodent to hand off to his homeroom teacher that he had already wadded up and stuck down in his pocket like trash. God, the extra energy was killing him, how long did they make these halls? ' _Couldn't they afford to put in elevators instead of making me climb all of those stairs?_ ' Nemuro thought to himself, as he approached what looked to be a long row of hero course classrooms. Well, 1-B had to be here somewhere, he mused.

 ** _Name: Enerugi Nemuro_**

 ** _Quirk: Drain Touch - the user is able to drain the energy(physical energy/electric energy/basically anything that has power/energy) of any living organism(and humans), objects, and other power sources as long as he touches it with five fingers from any of his hand. The amount of time it takes for the user to drain his target depends on the amount of stamina/energy the target has._**

From what he noticed when slowly trekking down the hall, the classrooms seemed to all be spread out by at least a five-meter gap in between every hulking door completely mirroring this on either side of the corridor. Though, the differences between the years were quite more substantial than just the letter separation. Class 3-A was at the very beginning of the long hallway, with a pretty significant gap in between their classroom and that of 3-B. Even further down and segregated by a long row of floor to ceiling windows and basic blue and red lockers, was 2-A and followed by 2-B. However innocent this may seem, it became apparent to him what they were trying to do.

The separations between all classes were obvious, third years were the most important, considering they would be the next graduating class and they had made it through all three years of high school, so they had gained seniority. However, they were in higher regards than that of second years, who in turn were better than first years making all of the years widely spread out. It was a simple setup that one might not catch onto at first glance, but Nemuro caught the signs easily, especially with the second part of this realization. The letter after the year - A and B. Though the year was important, the letters seemed to be something that U.A. subtly tried to hide their divide, but it was apparent.

A was first and would always be first, B was the follow-up - the lesser class and the gaps in between these doors proved that. Every little placement meant something, it wasn't just on a whim that these classrooms were placed, no, they had a purpose. But it wasn't Nemuro's place to question this, or even get upset, for that was just too much extra energy going to waste.

The tall, lanky boy came to a stop at the very end of the hall where the giant white and red metal door, gleamed with a larger-than-life bolded 1-B. ' _Thank god, now I can finally sit down and possibly nap_ ,' Nemuro sighed to himself in relief before turning the handle and pushing the door open to walk inside. What he didn't expect was walking right into what looked to be an introduction of some sort, and an awkward one at that. A short, silver-haired girl aimlessly shuffled her feet under the many stares of the other students in the room, her eyes glued to the floor in what looked to be an act of submission and hands grasping the pleats of her slate grey skirt.

Uncomfortable anxiety wafted off of her in massive choking waves and the tall, extremely blinding knight-looking man next to her hurried to place a gentle metal-covered hand on her shoulder. At the jarring of the door, both she and the knight turned to look directly at Nemuro, followed by the attention of their classmates. For a second, the girl's pink eyes shifted over to his own droopy silver, and a flash of relief filled those bright gems, probably grateful for a distraction for the tension in her shoulders seemed to have dropped.

 ** _Name: Otsuka Miu_**

 ** _Quirk: Blood Manipulation and Crystallization - Miu's quirk allows her to manipulate and crystallize blood. She can draw blood out of cuts on her body or another person's and shape its movement. It's very versatile, but she can't manipulate and crystallize at the same time. Once she crystallizes blood, she has to return it to its "wet" form before she can manipulate it again. If she concentrates hard enough when touching someone, she can temporarily manipulate their blood circulation._**

The purple-haired boy groaned to himself in annoyance, _ugh would he ever get a break today? Why did these things keep happening to him? He just wanted to take a nap for Christ's sake, was that too much to ask?_ He wasn't anyone's hero, didn't want to barge into something that wasn't his concern. Whatever was going on here, he didn't want to be apart of it - this weird aura that surrounded the room, the unnecessary drama bubbling under the surface of something greater, just being held back by the pro-hero at the front of the room. No, he didn't want that. And this pathetic looking girl definitely was far from his attention.

"Hello, there young sir! What can I help you with?" An equally bright yet polite voice boomed from what Nemuro guessed was class 1-B's teacher, startling him out of his thoughts. With his whole body being covered by metal it was hard to gauge just what his expression was, but his tone was very open and gave a lot away.

Nemuro wasn't looking for a conversation though; he just wanted to get this thing over with and find a seat and _god was this man way too bright for his tired eyes? What's his deal?_ This whole day was already wearing him out, and it was still morning! Honestly, he was starting to wonder just how he was going to get through the rest of the school day at this rate…

Before the man could say anything else, or more specifically 'make conversation,' Nemuro dug around into his trouser pocket and pulled out the wad of paper from Principal Nedzu and slowly crossed the short distance to the teacher, placing the ball in his awaiting hand with a short, "Here." For a second, the teacher stared down at the crumpled up ball of paper in his grasp before glancing over at the tall teen who slouched in front of him, hands again buried in his pockets eyes so heavy-ladened that the pro hero almost wondered if the boy was half-asleep just standing up. _Well_ , he thought, _looks like this one won't be any help_. Without any explanation from the boy, Bright Lord cleared his throat and went about unraveling it. Smoothing out the inevitably crinkled beyond doubt document, Bright Lord quickly scanned over the paper before glancing back over to an uninterested Nemuro.

"Well, Sir Nemuro, it looks like you'll be joining us as the last member of class 1-B. This is quite the surprise but a good one at that! The more, the merrier! Please make yourself comfortable. I'm sure you'll fit right in. You and miss Otsuka both," Bright Lord Sensei exclaimed, a happy little laugh twinkling after his words as he clapped the teen on the back successfully startling the boy out of his light slumber and causing him to give a small, wide-eyed yelp.

"Now you two, please take a seat! Lady Otsuka, would you sit at the back of row three, behind Sir Mortimer and between Lady Michiko and Lady Watanabe. I have an extra desk for you at the back of the room, Sir Nemuro, that you may place behind Sir Akashi in row one," the pro instructed with the extent of his metal covered arm, the armor clinking with his movements before he clinked over to his desk and tugged out his own chair to sit down.

Nemuro moves with slow strides, slinking casually on his trek to the back of the room and out of the corner of his eye he watched the small girl practically all but sprinted to the end of the third row, nervous twitching of her fingers in her pleated skirt and head tilted downward. Her lightly trembling form seemed to almost close in on itself, shrinking to make her appear even smaller than she already was. When she took her seat, carefully cowering down under the weighted stares was when Nemuro picked up on the hushed whispering around them. _Just what were they all going on about?_ He wondered in mild curiosity just as the whispers became audible.

" _ **Can you believe that they let the criminal in our class? Do you think she might've tricked Nedzu into getting in U.A.?**_

" _ **Our class? More like why did they even let her in the school? Shouldn't there be codes against this?"**_

" _ **If she's going to be in here then she better actually attempt to redeem herself. If that's even possible. I'm not sure if I want to be around a criminal. Especially after all she's done."**_

His stomach churned unpleasantly like a whirlwind, and suddenly he felt very nauseous, the feeling taking over his body like a virus, completely consuming him. He was beyond shellshocked, absolutely astonished at what he was hearing from supposed future heroes. The words were harsh, cruel remarks leaving no room for comment that they didn't even bother to hide from Otsuka, almost as if they didn't care at all if she did hear. Their pointed stares and obvious remarks were something so brazen that Nemuro was honestly in awe at the display. The judgment falling on the shoulders of the silver-haired girl who sat as small as she could possibly make herself at her desk no doubt in his mind that she could hear exactly everything they were saying. She stared down silently at the blue metal tabletop, eyes trained on the surface as if it was the most exciting thing in the world. Her thin shoulders trembled hands buried into a tight ball in her lap and the whole thing left a bad taste in the Nemuro's mouth, stabbing at his heart.

The people sitting around her all stared, some expressions curious and others with malice but no one dared to comfort her or speak to her directly. Not a single person in the room said anything remotely tender. ' _Just what the hell was this? Why were they acting this way?_ ' Nemuro thought in disgust. The purple haired boy shot a look over to their teacher to see the pro hero sitting with an open blue folder in hand, reading whatever was in its confines, oblivious to the whole situation. Of course, the pro wouldn't expect them, the next generation of heroes, to be bad-mouthing their classmate like this. So even if he did catch wind of the whispering, he most likely thought they were making friendly conversation.

Nemuro furiously shook his head to snap out of it, Dammit, he didn't have time for feelings. That was just too much energy he didn't want to waste, especially since it wasn't his place to get involved.

He didn't bother to quicken his pace though made it soon enough to the empty desk left against the back wall of the room. With his skinny arms, he picked it up and carried it back to the front row, trying in vain to ignore the criticism of his peers before placing the desk in his spot behind the redheaded teen and threw his body down into the chair. ' _Ahh, finally, just what I've been waiting for,_ ' Nemuro mused to himself as his body relaxed in the hard plastic chair, not minding even a bit that the chair itself was so uncomfortable, he was just grateful to be sitting down. The feeling wasn't long lasting however as the whispering continued, this time growing in volume.

Nemuro wasn't someone who got involved. He just didn't, end of story, he'd much rather mind his own business and conserve energy. Most confrontations were a waste of time and only exhausted him further, but it seemed like this day wouldn't just let him rest because he finally felt something inside him snap as an unfamiliar feeling of anger settled over him. He trained his silver eyes over his peers, but before he could say anything the boy in front of him beat him to it.

"You think SHE'S a criminal? The only thing criminal about her is that god awful face. She looks like she failed miserably at cutting her hair. Probably considers herself lucky she didn't cut an eye out." the redhead scoffed, intense crimson eyes trained over on the silver-haired girl, voice carrying over the others and bringing a hush to their classmates, as he leaned back in his chair to get a good look without wrinkling the material of his finely pressed uniform.

Miu let out a surprised gasp, falling back in her chair as the heavy silence weighted them all down. Despite the brashness of his words, Miu didn't seem to be as hurt by them though her tanned face immediately heated up to a bright pink that almost matched the color of her eyes. Akashi rolled his eyes, turning back around to the front of the room muttering a low, "I knew this class was full of idiots."

"She can't be a criminal if she's too terrified even to speak. She looks more like a pathetic mouse than anything." The curt words came from the mouth of the brash dragon girl, keeping her cheek propped up with one hand as she glared at Miu with contempt and boredom from her seat at the back of the room on the other side of the small girl. _Really, just how stupid could the other kids get? Someone as small and scrawny as the timid girl up front couldn't even be related to a villain. Related_ …...Tatsuma drops the hand from her chin to lean closer at her desk as she peers at the other girl. What if they were calling her a criminal because she was the daughter of a villain? Now that may be a bit more interesting for this class.

 ** _Name: Tatsuma Michiko_**

 ** _Quirk: Dragon Changer - Allows the user to transform their body to take on dragon-like features partially. In this form, she is able to breathe fire and is immune to other fire quirks. Her tail is kind of like a bat almost she can use it to throw backfire attacks. Her wings can help her move back or forward to dodge attacks, and her scales prevent her from heating up._**

Miu shrunk under the weight of Tatsuma's stare, refusing to look up from the tabletop until the taller silver-haired girl finally glanced away, sparing her from any more judgment. Finally, the tension in her shoulders relaxed just slightly, realizing that Tatsuma wasn't actually going to say anything else and she couldn't be more grateful for the mercy that she knew in her heart she didn't deserve.

Up front, Ritsuo had been watching and listening to the other students, hearing all the little gossip already floating around and a smirk was working its way across his features. His normally delicate and feminine face now looked like a mask of an imp, smirking just enough to reveal his teeth as his eyes slip shut into a fox-ish facade. It was an unsettling expression, to say the least as if he were planning something just beneath that smile. Truthfully, the fox boy did have some dastardly shenanigans running amok in his mind, a future plot he had come up with on the spot and his prime targets happened to be two very outspoken students.

Now all he needed was a chance actually to go through with it. _You'll get your just desserts before the day is over, I'll make sure of that._

* * *

After the disaster that was the first introductions, class resumes as normally as it could from that situation. The knightly hero seemed, much to Nemuro's previous suspicion, blissfully oblivious. Bright Lord Sensei stood at the podium, giving a simple lecture on what kind of classes they would have for that first year. But it was droll and boring, another waste of time and breath as far as Nemuro was concerned. He could still see the other students glowering at Miu, feeling bad for the girl but not so much that he'd be bothered with defending her. If only he could sleep and send his nightmares after the potential bullies, it would be the best of both worlds.

The meek little girl still hadn't done much about it, other than continue to fiddle with her skirt as if it were some comfort action. Even from his seat across the classroom, the purple haired boy could see the fine wrinkles on the girl's skirt, ruining the pleats and making it appear as if the article was a hand-me-down. He even found himself agreeing with what Tatsuma had said earlier, how could such a scaredy cat like her remotely be a criminal? To the sleepy boy, Miu looked like she would pass out if someone so much as playfully punched her arm.

But it was really none of his business. Whatever happened to her before she was accepted into U.A. was her own secrets, and he'd have no part in bashing or prying for information. Principal Nedzu wouldn't accept a dangerous criminal for no reason, so if he trusted her, then the least Nemuro could do was accept her as his peer and move on. He didn't understand how she of all people was considered such a foul name, but he didn't _have_ to understand it.

Out of the corner of his eye, a flash of color flew past his vision, and his attention pulled to the row of windows closest to his seat. Outside in the grounds surrounding the side of the school gathered a pretty large sized group of teens with what looked to be a pro-hero guiding them. Or at least what he assumed was a hero; the woman was unbelievably pale, her white skin practically shining in the sunlight outside. Nemuro couldn't bring himself to look at her skin for very long, focusing more on her black as night hair.

The students seemed to be going through a series of tests, their current one involving some sort of 50-meter dash. Two students; both were female with one having lavender hair that reached to her shoulders, and the other had curly brown hair. Both girls take their places at a white chalked line on the ground, dropping to their toes with their fingers splayed on the ground. From the classroom, Nemuro can hear a muffled pop and then the girls are off, dashing down the short distance as if their life depended on it.

The lanky boy was about to turn his gaze away from them, not at all jealous that they were spending their first day running around like idiots. He already had his fair share of that earlier in the day. Better you guys than me any day, the thought bubbles into his mind, smirking in satisfaction with a/c keeping his body cool. But then he spots something that kills his smirk, flipping it on its head to form a sour frown.

The brunette student was just a few meters away from the finishing line when she swings her left arm around, and the appendage transforms right before his eyes. Her arm elongates and stretched as if it's made of rubber, but she latches onto it with her other arm and swings it over her head like a lasso. Nemuro felt his jaw drop, white-hot jealousy suddenly coursing through him like a last minute tsunami. Sure they were running on the first day of school, but they were running while allowed to us their quirks! How was that fair? Class 1-A was having fun out while class 1-B just sat in class all day?!

Gritting his teeth, the raven teen pins his eyes onto Bright Lord, ready to berate the teacher for trying to put them to sleep with trashy lectures. But he's beaten to it by the buff girl behind him. Pompom waves her enormous arm around in the air, nearly clipping Tatsuma in the head and possibly sending the dragon girl into a coma much to Tatsuma's horror as she grabs her chest where her heart would be with a look of mixed anger and shock. "Mr. Bright Lord Sensei! I'm so sorry for interrupting but, are we going to be doing something similar to what that class out there is doing? Like I don't mind your lecture but," she smiles meekly at him, blue gems for eyes sparkling in adorable innocence, "But it looks like they're having so much fun out there."

Bright Lord Sensei laughs, a hearty sound that reminded the students of a jovial Santa. As if the teacher had been waiting for someone to say something and was ecstatic to find out he didn't need to wait very long. His laughter tapers off to a chuckle, stepping away from the board, Bright Lord gestures to the whole class. "Don't worry, Lady Kawachi, I have a quest planned for you all! Come along now, follow me out to the fields. I'm sure you all will thoroughly enjoy this!" And with that, the jovial teacher raises his hands, beckoning the children to rise from their seats and follow him out of the classroom. Most of them wondered aloud about what their teacher had in mind while others figured this was some sort of test even though it was only the first day of class.

Bright Lord had gathered all the students out into field "Zetta," an area that looked more like a simulation for archipelagos. Upon arrival the students could pick out areas that looked like forests, lakes, even a set of miniature mountains and sand dunes could be seen peeking out from around the corner. Bright Lord keeps all the students in a semi-circle around him, reading over the sheets he had brought out before looking up and clearing his throat.

"Listen up everyone. I'll say this now in case anyone of you have been wondering but class 1-A and this one will always have the same lessons but done differently. Each teacher has their own style, their own freedom to do as they please. As for myself, I have come to the conclusion of doing an event to capitalize on your quirks. Everyone knows that quirk usage is prohibited without a license even in the event of a villain attack but what happens when you're stranded in the wilderness?"

"Imagine you have no cell phone, no GPS, none of that technology that humanity of today relies so heavily on. You must all be well versed in your quirk as well as knowing alternative uses for it. Remember your time in the auditorium? I mentioned how my quirk can be used as a sword of light? Most think my quirk is simply shining constantly, but what they don't know is how I've trained myself to create new uses out of something considered average."

"You all will be doing the same today but as a treasure hunt! I have hints and riddles for where each object is hidden right here on these slips of paper. I also have maps of this field with names accompanying each section. As you can see, there are a variety of environments from lush forests, to scorching desserts. I have already gone through the procedure of splitting you all into groups of four as any activity is made easier and more enjoyable when you work together as a guild."

"Today's goal is to locate all the items listed on your sheets and bring them back here. After that, you all will continue to work as a team in order to connect all the items together to form the true creation. The first group to gather their items and place them in the correct order will earn an extra 10 points of credit towards this assignment."

As he hands out each sheet, Bright Lord directs the students into their groups one by one. The first group consisted of Pompom, Suzaku, Ritsuo, and Makoto. Suzaku had taken the map right away, already chuckling over the cute little diagrams of trees, lakes and small peaks indicating mountains.

The next group saw Nyoko, Miu, Tatsuma, and Kumori together. Miu still wore the same expression she had from in the classroom, hands twisting and scrunching at her skirt while Tatsuma snatched up the map in an attempt to choose what she assumed would be the toughest items to find first.

Group three was the only group where all members actually looked at the map together. Kokichi, Ryuji, Kaiya and Ryoku were each huddled around the paper as they came up with a strategy on how to collect their items the fastest. They were also the first to notice that most of the "hints" were actually riddles.

And the last group….. everyone could see it was trouble brewing already. Bright Lord had chosen Akashi, Nemuro, Jeffrey, and Mizumi to be together. The redhead had already gone off and shoved the map into Jeffrey's hands with a sharp order of "make yourself useful" before he had stalked off. Nemuro sighed to himself, rolling his eyes back into his skull before shaking his head. Just as he suspected, It was going to be a long day of class.

* * *

 **Group One - U.A. Riverside Simulation**

"Are we there yet, Suzaku-chan?" Pompom innocently asked, blue eyes sparkling like gems under the bright mid-morning sun as the group walked together towards their destination. From next to her, the blonde girl sighed over-exaggeratedly, throwing the map up in her hands as the wind brushed through her long hair. Makoto caught the map with ease, a slightly annoyed sigh leaving his lips. They had only just started with this little scavenger hunt, and the pink girl was already going to drive him crazy. Constantly asking if they were there yet or if they spotted any items for the hunt. It was cute the first few times, Makoto wouldn't deny that but after the eighth time….. well, the boy was close to snapping at the girl. He couldn't focus very well with her repetitive questions.

"For like the eightieth time today, no we aren't there yet! And we won't get there any faster by you asking, so chill," Suzaku exclaimed in amusement as she side-eyed the other girl. Pompom, at this, whined loudly in reply causing Ritsuo to laugh at her childish antics and Makoto to give a small smile. Thank God he wasn't the only one who was getting annoyed, but it was great that Suzaku could say what he had in mind with much kinder words. While it did bother him, he'd hate to offend the muscular girl. She was childishly innocent, but she wasn't trying to be irritating, and it had been cute earlier. Their first hint had involved a cryptic riddle, a simple sentence that read, " _ **the first item is found at a bank with no money**_."

Suzaku blinked and read the hint aloud again before she scoffed, flipping her layered hair over her shoulder as her earrings caught and reflected the morning sunlight. "A bank with no money? If the hints were going to be this easy, sensei had may as well put the answers right underneath them." Even before she finished reading it, it was clear that the blonde knew the answer. Makoto could see it in her eyes, how she looked nearly annoyed with what she read before a smirk curves her lips. Now they just needed to get to the destination and delving into the trees would be their best bet for that.

Except for Pompom, bless her soul, blinked owlishly at Suzaku. Her gemstone eyes reflected nothing but pure confusion. "A bank with no money? Is that even possible? What could Bright Lord-sensei want from a bank where he can't get money at?"

Makoto couldn't really blame the pink girl for being confused; if you weren't used to riddles, the answer wouldn't be as obvious. A hero wouldn't stake their life on a riddle, hunting villains via cryptic clues. It just wasn't something that was done; too many criminals weren't exactly on the bright side, to begin with, crafting a riddle wouldn't be in their style. But that was what Bright Lord was teaching them anyway; a what if kind of situation and one that wouldn't be impossible to come about either.

Makoto's dark eyes narrow as the memories of Meirin's murder resurface in his mind. Yeah, exactly the situation where we'd be dealing with a much craftier villain. He saw the news stations all over The Wall; bright yellow and blinding against the sunlight, caution tape had surrounded the scene as if the tape alone would keep villains from ever returning. The disgusting message that was so cheerily written on that pristine wall of the academy. Makoto had growled in anger when he first saw it- hurt anger but it was anger all the same. An innocent teacher had been murdered in cold blood and all the police and heroes had to go by was that horrid little statement, practically a riddle on its own: The cat has come out to play! The bloody paw marks that had been stamped into the cement made it obvious that they were searching for someone with a feline quirk, but the paws themselves were much too large to be average hands. It was either a mutation quirk, a transformation one or some kind of equipment the perpetrator wore. All the students knew so far was that no further clues had been discovered yet and it drove a good many of them crazy with hurt and anger. Just how long would they need to wait for the criminal to be brought to justice?

Quiet and brooding as he was, Makoto hadn't realized just how far he had slipped away into his mind until he heard Suzaku laughing. All of a sudden, he remembered where he was and who he was with. Pompom with her cute little antics, seemingly annoying but still bearable, Suzaku taking charge of the little group while trying to keep the pink girl from taking off and Ritsuo who gave nothing away with an eerie smile on his face. Considering he hadn't said anything, at least nothing that Makoto could remember, he assumed the blond boy had no issues with Pompom's impatience. And it seemed that Suzaku wasn't upset with the girl either, only laughing and rolling up the map to lightly smack Pompom on the head with it.

"Silly girl, the answer to the riddle is a river. Rivers have banks; it's like a play on words: a bank with no money. So we'll find our first item over by the riverside." She then turned her gaze on Makoto and Ritsuo, the raven offering her as close to a friendly smile as he could get but he was sure it looked more like a grimace. He really couldn't figure out how to jump into this, not since the blonde girl already gave them all the answer. He felt it would be obvious and redundant to mention the fastest way to the river would be through the trees. Plus his mind was still muddled with thoughts of that recent villain attack, and he felt guilty for it. How could he be brooding on campus grounds when he had a group that was trying to get an assignment done right in front of him. A particularly strong gust of wind blows through the trees, ruffling his hair so the spiky strands poke at his eyes slightly. He took it as a sign that even nature was telling him to perk up and focus on the now, not the past.

"You two have been awfully quiet back there, just gonna let us ladies do all the heavy work?" Suzaku's sarcastic quip cutting through the song of the forest. Not sure what to say to that right away, Makoto shrugs, and his dark eyes turn to Ritsuo to see what the boy would say. But he wasn't offering much either, and it even looked as if he hadn't heard what was said as he was glancing around the trees and schoolyard in the distance. There was an eerie grin on the boy's face; eyes closed in a way that reminded Makoto of a fox mask- the face of one clearly up to no good. It was only made worse by the fact that the blond was actually steadily glancing around, swiveling his head left and right in a way that reminded the raven of a predator. The boy was looking for someone and that smirk….clearly he wasn't going to do anything good to whoever it was he was hunting.

He was going to question Ritsuo before noticing Suzaku tapping her foot impatiently, raising a perfectly plucked eyebrow at him. That got his attention, and he rubs at his arm in near guilt. He was getting too caught up and suspicious of just one student already with not an ounce of proof as to whether his gut was even close to being right. He could only blame his earlier brooding for causing the suspicions in the first place. For all he knew, Ritsuo could have been smiling in anticipation, searching for their items and not an actual student.

"I didn't have anything to add to this. You figured out the answer before I could throw in my own two cents. So I chose to see which way we could take to reach the river faster. If we go through these trees, it'll only be a matter of time before we hear the sound of rushing water." He looks away after that, eyes narrowing at nothing in particular as he hopes that Suzaku will be satisfied with that answer. It was the most he could come up with after being put on the spot like that.

Well, that was one answer she got but the fox boy was still quiet, not even meeting her gaze and the blonde girl only shrugs. Surprisingly, she didn't seem too upset about it, making Makoto wonder if him feeling guilty was even necessary. Whatever was on Ritsuo's mind, he wasn't willing to share it right away, and neither of them seemed ready to push him for answers either. They had only just met, after all, chatting like best friends wouldn't come naturally like that. Well, it did with Pompom, but that was more due to how friendly the overly muscular girl was. Speaking of Pompom, she was already trudging off on her knuckles, a pep in her bounce as she heads for a small area of trees. She had completely missed the whole conversation, more focused on their assignment in a way that was admirable.

The others glance at each other for a bit before Ritsuo is the first to start following after their smaller group mate. After a few steps, he looks over his shoulder with a more genuine smile, "I'm not trying to have you do all the work, there was just someone I wanted to have a little…..chat with later. I also thought of us splitting up to find the items and then double back to meet each other back where sensei dropped us off. The hints are relatively easy since three of us knew the answer for the first one right away. It wouldn't exactly kill us to go through all the riddles, determine the answers and collect the items before regrouping, right?"

And just like that, the raven's suspicions come right back as he bristles slightly under the surface. Makoto kept a sharper eye on Ritsuo, seeing past the smile for what could truly be on the other boy's mind. He didn't like how the blond had phrased his words when saying there was someone he wished to chat with. It was blindingly obvious to him that something was up, but with no official proof, he couldn't really say anything right away. But Pompom was steadily getting further away from them, humming to herself as she focused more on pursuing their items.

Still, he gives the other boy a smile to hide his thoughts, "let's stick together long enough to find out what we're meant to be searching for at the least." It was all he could really do at that moment, jogging after Pompom and Suzaku before he wound up losing sight of them.

The clearing of trees tapers off into an actual forest, making the simulation all the more realistic. The dark haired teen could even hear the sounds of birds chirping and calling to each other, spotting a few overhead as they swoop above the glossy leaves. Suzaku still had the map in hand, silently reading over the other riddles before she slips it into her pocket. It wasn't long until they found the river, hearing it before actually spotting the crystalline waters. It was a gorgeous little thing if Makoto were, to be honest, a stream no wider than four feet and stretching from end to end as it snaked its way through trees and rocks.

He could spot shapes beneath the surface, small fish of a kind he didn't know the name of but the sun reflecting off the water's surface made him smile. It truly was a pretty sight despite being man-made and exclusive to the academy. Pompom's little squeak of delight is heard as the smaller girl bounds over to the edge of the river, peering down into the depths before looking over her shoulder at her teammates. "It's so pretty, and there's even fish in here! But I don't see anything out of the ordinary, did the hint say exactly what we should be trying to find?"

Makoto stiffened, realizing all too late their new predicament. The hints never said exactly what they would be locating, only giving clues as to where they would find it. How were they supposed to know if the item was even theirs or if it belonged to another group? Snapping himself out of it, the raven searches the river bed for something, anything that could….bingo! His dark eyes spot the shiny metal arm hanging off a boulder by the river. The sparkling, grey-black fingers draped over the stone to dip into the water as if some spirit were cooling their fingers in it.

That definitely had to be their first item, and he jogs over to it, snatching it up and waving at the group. "This has to be our first item; I'd bet there are a bunch more pieces lying around and it's pretty obvious what sensei wants us to make. It's some sort of suit of armor by the looks of this piece. Makes me think it's a personal suit of his own that he brought specifically for today. Almost as if he had this planned long before any of us even questioned about our first lesson.

It was even silly to him, how obvious Bright Lord was making it that he was very much into the medieval theme without him sending the students off on a quest to build him a suit of armor. A quest….god, he really was milking that knights and dragons theme, wasn't he? It was strange but in an eye-catching way. Everyone had their own little views on heroes and themes they wanted to play, of course, their teacher would be no different. Knights, dragons and the times of old; just how had Bright lord gotten into that kind of thing?

But Suzaku snaps him out of his thoughts by patting his back and grinning at him. He found himself returning the grin, glad that they had found their first item already and with a list of only four riddles, they'd finish this assignment in no time if they kept up this pace.

"Nice work, Makoto! That's one piece down and three more to go. Our next riddle is...doot, doot, doot- here it is! _**Rings without any fingers. Leaves but stays nearby. Hiding down below our feet, but seen by looking high**_."

The riddle would have been a bit more difficult if it hadn't had the word leaves in it. Putting the two together, Makoto knew immediately what it was; something that was all around them since they had first stepped outside. The answer to the riddle was as plain as day; nothing other than a-

"It's a tree! That's where our next item is!" Pompom was practically squealing, ecstatic that she was able to figure out the next clue, no doubt wanting to contribute to the team as much as she could. Suzaku laughs at the girl's cheery answer, nodding her head in approval and grinning proudly.

"Yes, the answer is most definitely a tree but being in the center of a simulated forest... we'll be stuck searching a while for the right one. We need a way to search the area faster or we'll be here all day trying to find the thing." He hated to be a downer, not really liking to give off the vibe that he was gloomy but the truth had to be spoken. Just knowing the answer wasn't enough, especially not when there were dozens of trees around them already. It was like with the river situation, they'd have to choose a random direction and move on from there. Chances were that the item could be hanging around a normal tree or even one that was unique to the others around them. Makoto surveys the area again, trying to decide where they should continue from and the thought of following the river appeals to him.

The sound of trees creaking and groaning suddenly fills the air and jerks the dark haired boy out of his little investigation. The sound coming from Pompom who had managed to get her massive hands around a thick tree branch. Even for size, the little girl's hands were more than large enough to wrap around the wood and she swings herself back and forth a bit before stretching out to grab hold of another nearby branch. Continuing on from there, Makoto and the others follow after her as the cutie slugger builds more speed, swinging from branch to branch like a bodybuilding monkey. He'd never thought something like that could actually look graceful but Pompom was pulling it off with surprising ease, giggling away as if she were having the time of her life up there.

For a while, they simply follow after their teammate, the sound of creaking wood and the sight of falling leaves being the only company they had to their expedition. However, as time went on and nothing could be spotted just yet, Makoto felt a frown forming on his face. If they didn't find something soon, would it mean they were going the wrong way? But just how long did they need to go before it actually qualified as the wrong direction? It wasn't as if their teacher would keep all the items within two minutes of each other so naturally it would take time to find each one. Still….he didn't like how each tree was beginning to look the same, how the river stretched endlessly in both directions by their side. He doubted they were going in circles but that didn't stop him from thinking they were wandering around aimlessly.

They only had one item, the metallic arm for a suit of armor with time quickly slipping past them. Half an hour could have gone by since they started their search and they weren't even halfway done. To be truthfully honest, he wanted those extra ten points added onto his grade and he wouldn't get them with just a single gleaming arm.

Speaking of the thing, Makoto had stuck it onto himself to make it easier to carry, surprised that it actually fit him rather well. It covered his arm all the way up to his shoulder, hiding away the inky black tattoos on his left arm that were so familiar to him. In place of the dark designs stark against his pale skin, shining silver winked at him each time the sunlight pierced through the tree leaves. It clinked rhythmically with each step he took; a tiny bell he could barely hear over the noise Pompom kicked up. His own breathing contributed to that, a steady light huffing due to the pink girl picking up her pace. Impatience must have been hitting her again, just like it was with him and no doubt the others as well. But it also gave him cause for concern and the inked up teen puts his legs to work, steadily matching her strides.

"Slow down a little, Pompom, I know you're in a rush to find our next clue but you still have to be mindful of which branches your grabbing. Not all of them will be able to support the weight of your arms." He calls up to her with Suzaku appearing by his side as well, making a noise of agreement.

But the shorter girl only puffs her cheeks out at them, gemstone eyes staring out ahead pointedly. "I am being careful- oh, trying to be but we're so close to where we need to be. I can just tell! You can see it now, the trees are spreading out more like we're close to a clearing." It was true, little by little, the trees had shifted from being clumped together to popping up more sparsely than before. Even the canopies of leaves no longer criss crossed amongst themselves, connecting the trees like a green fishnet. But it also meant the trees were becoming thinner, more fragile and Makoto's concern sky rockets. These trees wouldn't be able to support Pompom forever and just when he was about to ask her to join them on the ground below, a loud crack is heard as the next branch she grabs snaps like a willowy twig.

Suddenly airborne, Pompom squeals in fright and Suzaku follows suit, taking in a sharp breath of air as she rushes out towards the smaller girl. But it wasn't needed, Makoto mutters a curse as he spurs into action, the inked designs on his left arm come to life as they burst from his skin like black serpents. The ink converges together before spreading out to form a pitch black trampoline under the short girl just before she hit the grassy floor. The combined weight of her arms causes the netting to bounce her once, twice before it splits and she tumbles the remaining two inches onto the dirt. The adrenaline was still coursing through her veins with her heart thudding like a frightened rabbit in her ears but she has enough energy to lug herself into a sitting position.

Guilt marred her round face, eyes downcast as she whimpers to herself for a few moments. "I'm sorry, guys, I got carried away and almost got myself hurt… please don't be mad at me." The look she gave them, lips trembling and all, Makoto felt his insides melt on sight. _I can't be mad with a face like that. We're all just kids anyway, of course, any of us would make mistakes like this._

Suzaku laughs at the girl, dropping to sit by her side and ruffle the silky blue strands on Pompom's head. "Don't worry so much, I think I can speak for all of us when I say we aren't mad at you. You've probably learned your lesson anyway. After all that trudging around in the trees, spotting a clearing was like seeing the light in a dark tunnel. It's only natural that you would get carried away. And look, our next item is right there!"

Makoto followed Suzaku's hand to where it pointed at one of the larger trees and sure enough, there was a matching set of silvery steel legs propped up by the roots of an oak tree. They were even positioned in a way as if they were sitting crossed under the shade and Makoto has a vivid image of Bright lord wearing them while relaxing in a position similar to that in his head. He wanted to roll his eyes at the thought, moving to stand by Pompom's other side as he holds out both of his hands for her. "Suzaku is right, we're not mad at you so you can relax. Just remember for next time to be a bit more careful, okay?"

He doesn't realize the mistake he just made until the buff girl grabs hold of his arms with her own, massive fists wrapping around his to make his limbs look scrawny in comparison. He didn't know how he managed to pull her to her feet, not when he struggled and strained against her weight with the need of having to dig his heels into the dirt just to keep from tumbling over. Yet somehow he gets Pompom off the ground and Makoto takes a long minute to catch his breath with his hands braced against his thighs. That was the workout he needed but never asked for, that's for sure.

Oblivious to the strain and struggle he just went through, Pompom had simply nodded at him as a smile made it's way back to her face. "Thank you for saving me, Makoto. I'm glad you guys aren't too mad at me either and that means we got our second thing, right?! Just two more to go and we'll be done!" The excited girl leaves Makoto right where he was at, speeding towards the set of leg armor and lifts it with one hand. "I'll carry this one for us! Makoto can keep the arm and the next one, Suzaku or Ritsuo can carry."

At the name, Makoto's head shoots up, sudden realization overcoming his features. The blond had been quiet this whole time, even with Pompom nearly taking a fall. He would have expected Ritz to actually say something about it but when he looks to see exactly why the other boy was quiet, he's nowhere in sight and his heart drops into his stomach. Just how long had he been gone and why did it take even him to realize the fox boy wasn't with them?

* * *

 **Group Two - U.A. Mountainscape Simulation**

They stood outside in the large courtyard in the simulated training field at the left side of the school. Since it was still early in the morning, it wasn't too unbearably hot for them to be outside and a light breeze blew through the air to keep them cool swishing through their skirts and hair. Miu had watched the other groups already head off in opposite directions, probably on the hunt for their first piece of the treasure but they were still left trying to scan over their own 'map.'

Her heart was pounding so loudly in her chest, echoing in her ears and drowning out all sound around her that she was so sure everyone could hear it breaking free of its confines. She hoped to everything good left in this world that they wouldn't notice. She was so scared and so anxious just being placed in a group with people she didn't know. The pink-eyed girl hoped with all of her heart that they didn't question her, didn't ask her a thing about herself but she could feel the unspoken words lingering in the air. However, much to her relief, they left them there, refusing to say anything and she was beyond grateful.

Miu huddled into herself, standing behind a much taller girl with her white hair tied in twintails - Kumori, she believed that was her name - trying her best to drown out the words of the taller and much more terrifying domineering, silver-haired girl who was arguing with the much nicer blunette over the map for their assignment. She had to admit that the simulated training field didn't look like anything different than the literal lawn of grass located all the way around the building, but just a little overgrown, the green strands sticking out precariously to engulf her loafer-clad feet and brush against her ankles, the other girls seemed oblivious to their surroundings.

The female, Tatsuma, had her fiery gaze glued to the other, Nyoko, her whole presence demanding attention, narrowed and sharp, blazing golden embers under a nasty scar that made Miu's breath catch in her throat and something tug at her heart. ' _Scars - she had scars…_ ' Miu wondered in awe, her mouth falling open silently in agape. ' _Many of them, but she was so sure she was the only one… But this girl, she had them too…_ '

She couldn't make out anything over the loud rushing of blood echoing in her ears. It was like she was underwater, stuck just under the surface so close to the top yet so far away. Tatsuma was something entirely else, something that was the exact opposite of herself. They both had silver hair and scars, but they were beyond the same person. Miu was only a shell, a shadow of the attractive and self-assured woman, who had fire glowing in her eyes, and a demeanor that made people instantly intimidated. She was scary, powerful and respected - fellow classmates couldn't meet her gaze for fear of her undeniable power and hot-blooded personality.

Miu, on the other hand, intimidated people for entirely different reasons in an entirely different way. She was tiny, the height of an eleven-year-old, and physically looked as if she couldn't do more harm than that of a mouse. But, when people looked at her, they immediately towered over her, sneered, whispered and looked down on her in their own version of fear of the unknown, of unacceptance. She was different, much like Tatsuma, but would never be accepted - not like she deserved it, even if she wished secretly in her heart, so innocently and childishly for something as wonderfully hopeless as that. Whereas the taller girl didn't seem to care if she was accepted or not. They were so different, yet so similar and Miu had never felt like this about anyone else in her life, had never understood similarities until now, but they were so far away.

Tatsuma places her hands on her hips, hourglass form ridged and detached. Her blazer is buttoned up over her shirt and tie, stretched tightly over her above average assets, the navy blue pleated skirt seeming almost against regulation with have far up it hiked on her waist and slightly wider hips. A pair of standard knee-high socks cover her sturdy, muscular legs with black flats on her feet. Her bushy silver hair gently blew in the wind around her like a soft looking cloud. Despite being a few inches shorter than Nyoko, she still seemed to be able to bring the other down to her level, almost as if she towered above her instead. The gentle breeze ruffled through the skirt covering Nyoko's long yellow tanned legs and through Nyoko's dark blue bob. Her hair shifted against the light green gasmask situated around where her mouth would be, only exposing her warm brown eyes that were trained on the other's narrowed gaze of dislike, the right one slightly covered by the side fringe of her part.

"I'm just saying, Tatsuma, I think it would be a great idea for us to work together. Don't yah think? It would be a lot of fun! What a great way to make new friends and have a good time -" Nyoko exclaims, excitement edging into her muffled voice when Tatsuma cuts her off with a sharp grunt. It was obvious that out of everyone in the group, the one Tatsuma disliked the most was Nyoko, whether that was because of her overly positive and socialite personality, or just outright distrusting mind-set, Miu didn't know, but it was evident she didn't care a thing about Nyoko's opinion. The otherwise cold dragon girl didn't seem that concerned with anyone else, outright ignoring both Miu and Kumori, which she took as a good sign. ' _It's better to be ignored than hated_ ,' Miu thought to herself with a small nod.

Tatsuma's heavy gaze suddenly pinned Miu to the grassy bed she stood on, the soft green blades running over her brown school issued loafers as her heart thudded wildly in her chest - fearfully. Her intensity was so overwhelming that whatever breath she had left slipped away and left her breathless and terrified. ' _What are they saying?_ ' she wondered nervously to herself, pink eyes bright with unshed emotions and a guarded film as gold glared back in mixed assessment and curiosity for a few horribly long seconds before looking back at Nyoko. The look wasn't necessarily mean or rude but was overwhelming, like being dunked under water without means of escape. An anxiousness tugged at her insides, spiking the worry that she'd had since she stepped foot in this building, ' _What if they're talking to me? Should I try to say something? I don't want them to get mad at me and think I was ignoring them… Please don't get mad..._ '

Silent panic lodged itself in her chest. Her lungs were on fire, and a huge surge of pain filled her every time she even tried to breathe, but she didn't say a single thing - wouldn't say anything to draw attention to herself. They didn't like her anyway, so she wouldn't bother them with her silly problems. That would be the last thing they wanted.

She was an outsider. Even here, as a student, she was an outsider who didn't belong. She felt it, in the looks, the side-glances, the tone in which they addressed her. She didn't belong. Not here at U.A. or even back _**there**_ … Her tanned palms sweat at her sides, where she immediately wipes them off on the fabric of her wrinkled skirt and tries to calm the thundering of her heart. ' _I'm not going to think about that right now. Stop it, you can do this,_ ' Miu whispers to herself. It wouldn't be a use to panic right in front of them. They're counting on her to be a good teammate, to bring something to this group. She couldn't let them down, but her weak heart made it difficult for her to do something in the first place.

The short girl feels a weird prickling sensation on her face and quickly turns her head to see Kumori's three pairs of purple eyes set on her, an assessing look washing over her otherwise expressionless features and she doesn't deter her stare even when discovered by the pink-eyed girl. Kumori's stare much like Tatsuma's isn't necessarily mean, a bit more gentle than the other girls and more curious and possibly _concerned_?

' _No, that couldn't be it, why would she be concerned over me? Don't think you deserve that, Miu_.' She quickly dismisses the thought as quickly as it had come. Miu awkwardly blinks back, feeling slightly uncomfortable and embarrassed under her gaze but refuses to say anything and instead turns away, hiding under the veil of her wavy silver locks. Kumori remains silent, the tall, skinny goth girl resuming her assessment of the other two girls. But for some odd reason the pounding in her heart slows down, and the blood no longer roars in her ears to the point of deafening. Kumori's calm aura soothes her soul, and her level-headed nature seems to be the missing ingredient in this formula.

"This isn't fun. This is an assignment. We're not here to make friends or braid each others hair, we're here to pass this thing and beat the other groups," Tatsuma says matter-of-fact, causing Nyoko's eyes to widen. "So what the hell is this supposed to mean? - _**You'll find your first piece of the puzzle where the earth meets the sky**_ \- What kind of treasure hunt is this? Actually, why is this irrelevant to quirk training?" Tatsuma brashly exclaimed, eyebrows furrowing in confusion and slight annoyance as she glared down with fiery golden eyes at the paper in her hands, tilting it towards herself so that none of the others could read the words. It was a good thing that she had read it out loud, or they would've missed the first riddle entirely, each girl a little too afraid to ask her for the map.

Miu flinched at the harshness of the silver-haired girl's words, going completely unnoticed by Tatsuma herself, fear swirling in Miu's upturned pink eyes and she gulped, shifting even more behind Kumori's tall frame to shield herself from Tatsuma's wrath. Peering around the spider-like girl, she sees Nyoko brush her hair out of her eyes with a flicker of impatience that darkens her brown eyes. Despite her cheerful tone and overall friendly - go-getter attitude that she's tried to use to pull this group together, it seems that even the tallest blue haired girl's patience can also run thin.

Nyoko was friendly and open, Miu could tell right off the bat when she wouldn't stop chattering on and on as soon as they were paired together - much to the annoyance of the cold dragon-girl - she was eager for this assignment, from what she could tell, which did make Miu feel a little bit better about the situation. Nyoko seemed like someone she wished to become friends with, and even the thought set her heart ablaze. The blunette just had this positive yet overwhelming energy that pulled you in. She hung onto Kumori and affectionately talked to her as if they had known each other for years, and even went as far as to call Tatsuma, 'pretty,' which almost caused her to get punched in the throat by the temperamental silver-haired girl which she only obviously laughed off, continuing to try to hold one-sided conversation with her.

But, to Miu, Nyoko seemed a bit too eager and overly friendly. Though, it was almost to the point of being overbearing, making Miu anxious and a little afraid of the seemingly nice girl. She was a prier, without meaning too, asked way too many questions for Miu's comfort and didn't have any boundaries of personal space. She hadn't ever been told she was 'cute' before either, definitely not before Nyoko, but the small pink-eyed female caught on that Nyoko didn't mind throwing out compliments, especially about appearances. Nyoko meant well, she understood that, but her cheerfulness seemed to be slowly fizzling out. She couldn't tell what was scarier, Nyoko's too eager chatter, or Tatsuma's brutality.

"Let's figure out the puzzle together, okay? I'm sure if we all work as a group then we'll be able to solve this-" Before Nyoko can get the rest of the words out, she's immediately cut off by Tatsuma herself. The golden eyed girl shifted around to face her; head cocked to the side and a bright thriving flame dancing in the orbs. Miu took a cautious step back, fear racing through her veins.

Tatsuma's jaw locks and Miu swears she hears the clink of her teeth, "I don't need a group to figure this out. I'm just fine on my own," She says, voice cold and detached much to the shock of the rest of her group, quickly turning on the heels of her black flats and taking off in the other direction, the map still in hand. Nyoko gawks after her, surprise written all over her features before she turns to her other partners.

' _Oh no_ ,' Miu worriedly thinks, pout finding its way onto her marred face as she stares off after the other girl, ' _What about our group?_ ' The guilt that follows is ten-fold, gnawing at her insides, clawing its way from her stomach. ' _Was this her fault? Did she cause Tatsuma to leave? It's because she didn't belong here, right? That had to be it_ ,' Miu thinks with crushing defeat, blinking over to her helpless teammates that seem just as lost as she is. Maybe if she hadn't of come here, then this wouldn't have happened. She was destined to make this group fail...

Dealing with Tatsuma was like dealing with a child holding up a fork to a light socket, looking you directly in the eyes ready to shove it in while you're screaming no. It was dangerous and unpredictable, and you were left with little options to deal with the matter, but in this case, Nyoko couldn't just charge in and yank Tatsuma away from the light socket, for she was the dangerous energy dancing under the surface.

' _Okay well looks like things are hitting a rough patch, but no worries, she'd get things back on a smooth path! Well, just as soon as they caught up to Tatsuma and the map_.' Nyoko sighed to herself, slight disappointment clutching her heart, fighting down the urge to call it quits and ask Bright Lord for another map. ' _No, she wouldn't give up on her partner like that! Maybe Tatsuma was just shy or wasn't that good of a people person? She couldn't help it if she had poor social skills_!'

"We really shouldn't split up if we're meant to be a group," Kumori calls out softly, the voice of reason as arms cross over her thin chest, black polished nails glinting in the sun while three pairs of purple eyes blinked pointedly after Tatsuma's rigid form. Nyoko gains her spark back, enthusiastically nodding along, reaching out a hand to clap Kumori on the back, causing the slightly shorter, skinny girl to lurch forward with the widening of all of her purple eyes. Nyoko seemed oblivious to this as she kept talking allowed, placing her hands on her hips when she walked eyes directed ahead instead of onto the almost comical scene of Kumori threatening to trip and fall.

Miu squeaked in surprise and upon instinct, reached out to steady the spider girl before she could tumble to the ground. Kumori blinked down at the silver-haired girl when she realized there was a hand gently gripping her arm. ' _Hmm, just as I suspected. Miu doesn't seem so bad after all_ ,' Kumori thought and felt a small smile of thanks pull onto her face that she quickly directed to the shorter girl who yanked her hand away as if she had been stung before Kumori narrowed her eyes in thought and brushed off her blazer and skirt. Miu seemingly just realizing what she had done hurriedly backed away, holding up her hands in surprise as her mouth dropped open.

' _Oh my gosh, what had she just done! Touching another student, she can't do that! That's a violation of her parol-_ -" panic washed over the girl's features, rolling in her upturned eyes like a storm threatening to drown her, and just as quickly as it had come, it stopped. Miu looked over to see Kumori's gentle hand on her shoulder, face still mostly void of emotions, but she could see concern swirling in her eyes, lips pulled in a thin line that barely showed the sharpness of her fangs peeking out of the corners and Miu felt her cheeks light up pink.

Immediately both girls catch the end of Nyoko's monologue bringing them back to the situation at hand, both turning to the bluenette who was too caught up in her own speech to even notice their distractions.

" - You're right! We're a team, and teams can't split up! We'll get Tatsuma back on board, don't either of you worry your pretty little heads!" Nyoko says with a wink of her warm brown eyes before giving a fist pump to the air and hauling the two girls gently behind her. Both Miu and Kumori exchanged weary glances while letting the bluenette drag both of them after Tatsuma.

Miu just wanted to go back to her dorm room and sit huddled up under a blanket, hiding away from the world, especially from cold golden orbs. She didn't want to be here anymore, wished that U.A. had done with her what they should've. She didn't deserve to be here, and fate was showing her that. She'd fail them, and then they'd all hate her more than they already did. Miu was sure of it. Miu couldn't shake the guilt that somehow this was her fault, her chest aching as she forced back the familiar stinging in her eyes.

"Nyoko-san, I'm not quite sure that Tatsuma-san would agree with our logic… She seems pretty keen on working alone. Maybe I should go tell Sensei that this isn't going to work," Miu's found the words, soft adorably unsure voice causing Nyoko to turn her attention to the smaller girl, who shifts her hands anxiously through the pleads of her skirts, eyes trained downwards. At the sound of her voice, a surging warmth bursts through the blue haired girl's heart causing her to squeal aloud, much to the mild annoyance of Kumori and the embarrassment of Miu. 'Ahhh, she's just too cute for her own good!' Nyoko muses with a dreamy smile before shooting out a hand to pinch Miu on a blushing cheek.

"Aw, little Miu, you're way too precious for this world! But don't worry, I'm sure Tatsuma will come around," Nyoko cheers with a wink, making Kumori shake her head and Miu to blush even darker. Nyoko was just too embarrassing, she couldn't take these compliments, and Nyoko didn't understand, missing the picture entirely, Miu thought in frustration.

"I agree with Otsuka-san, Tatsuma doesn't seem like the type who enjoys group work," Kumori points out as politely as possible, trailing her gaze over to the girl in question rigid posture. Nyoko seems to ponder this, eyes dulling to a muted brown in thought and for the first time, remains quiet.

By the time they had finally caught up with the other girl, Miu noticed a cluster of small mountains peeking up from the ground, rearing their heads and creating a beautiful landscape worthy of paintings. Miu had only glanced at it in passing since it was just a simulation, but it was definitely something impressive now that she saw it up close. Nyoko immediately dropped the other girls' wrists, and Kumori murmured a polite thank you before the three of them all fell in step a few feet behind the silver-haired dragon girl. Tatsuma still had her nose buried in the sheet, occasionally angrily shoving it down and out of her sight to bring it back up again to her view, yeah it was definitely best for them to keep their distance for now. The way she was stomping forward with all power and finesse made the other three assume that she had to have some kind of plan or idea to solve this puzzle and it seemed that she honestly did.

Just like that, the three girls followed after the dragon-like girl, who made short work of finding the first two items, outright refusing any help offered to her with a snarl or roll of her eyes. What Tatsuma had stumbled across were two, rather good-sized chunks of metal, that on further inspection had little rivets almost like a puzzle piece. The metal pieces were somewhat circular on the sides almost like a shield, though Tatsuma didn't let them get close enough actually to assess what the objects were. Miu had no idea if she was even using the map at this point, or if she was stubbornly looking around, using her quirk to form scaly-dragon wings to protrude from her back and scan over the area.

From what she could tell, Tatsuma flew mostly closer to the ground, not getting too high above the group and she kept the items to herself, in a ready-made pouch by taking off her blazer and tying it loosely around her neck, to cradle the metal pieces. The rest of them struggled to keep up, trying not to fall too far behind their 'partner.' Miu knew that Kumori and Nyoko felt a bit useless in the situation but neither girl spoke up. Nyoko seemed to have lost her patience with the silver-haired female and instead went about chattering and scanning the ground for any possible metal pieces to catch her eye. Without access to the map, it was pretty much impossible for them to know where anything was so they had to wander around like lost children after the dragon girl.

"What do you think the riddle meant? I think Tatsuma skipped over it," Nyoko found herself pondering aloud, glancing at the others in unconcealed curiosity, her long blue bangs covered half of her left eye. Kumori carefully adjusted one of the ebony bows tied into her twintail, a faraway looking crossing over her purple eyes before she dropped her hands back to her side. She glanced upwards at the sky and then down to the grassy forest floor that swished over their shoes with every step.

Miu could tell that she was pretty observant, even if she tried to act casual, the quiet goth girl was definitely always curiously watching, which is something that Miu felt connected them. Miu wasn't sure if it was outright observation or collectivism or if it was just a strong sense of curiosity, but she almost unnervingly so watched others. She herself always watched others from afar, just shyly wistfully observing, too timid to interact herself, so she found that observing was something she was good at. She had always wished to be comfortable enough to socialize and interact with others, much like Nyoko or even Tatsuma, but she was just too scared for that. She learned at an early age that observing was safer. But usually, no one else caught on to her, even if she tried to hide her reactions, emotions anything, she could tell that Kumori seemed to understand but didn't draw attention to it.

"Where the earth meets the sky… I'd have to guess maybe somewhere high up? Higher than where Tatsuma's been flying," Kumori answered softly, the multiple rows of almost creepy glassy violet orbs flicking over to her innocently. ' _Man, her stare really was intense_ …' Nyoko and Miu thought at once, both shivering under the unwavering curious stare.

The group of girls came to an abrupt halt when they realized that Tatsuma had landed back onto the ground with a loud thud of her feet, beautiful scale-covered wings flapping wildly behind her until they slowly disappeared with her transformation, sealing themselves away into her back. Now staring down at the map in her hands with her back towards the others. Nyoko found it impossible to gauge the other girl's expression, but from the tense lines of muscle on her back, it was pretty obvious that she was frustrated. It was then that Nyoko actually noticed where they were, deep on the outskirts of the small cluster of trees, nearest to a jagged cliffside that branched out like a beacon into the air, reaching towards U.A. with its steep front. The cliff tapered off into the serrated mountainside, that faded off into the distance and reached as high as a skyscraper against the cerulean blue of the watery sky. A thin forest aligned the entire mountain range, almost all the way around the grounds, keeping the view of U.A.'s property a secret from the prying public eye.

What a realistic simulation, Miu muttered to herself in awe, eyebrows raised as she lifted a hand to shield her eyes from the mid-morning glare of the sun, caught up in the beauty of something so unbelievably tangible that she jolted in surprised when Tatsuma's huffing filled the air. Miu's gaze fell on the golden-eyed teen as she folded the map and shoved it in the tiny pocket on her blazer, wrenching her head around, causing her mop of wild cloud-like hair to smack her in the neck before her intense gaze dropped on the three girls. The scar over her eye making her look even more intimidating than just the blazing embers of gold orbs that narrowed distrustingly back at them.

Much to the surprise of the group both Tatsuma and Kumori spoke at the same time, "The answer is the cliff," they said before snapping their heads in each other's direction, Kumori's numerous eyes widened in shock and Tatsuma's burning with displeasure at not being the only one who discovered the answer to the riddle. Seeing the building pressure of the moment, the vein that started to throb in Tatsuma's temple, as well as Kumori who curiously and almost recklessly stared unabashed, she took a moment to shove right in.

"Isn't it great that we found out the right answer? Yay, now we're on track to figuring this thing out!" Nyoko quickly butts in, throwing her arms wide in an exaggerated motion, eyes crinkling from the size of her smile that went unseen under her mask and successfully dragging the two girls attention to herself, blocking Kumori from the other's fierce blunt anger. With the blunette's unpredictable actions, Tatsuma stepped back to avoid getting hit in the face. 'What was with her almost getting hit so many times today?'

The dragon girl clicked her tongue and clamped her mouth shut, glare firmly set on Kumori who apparently had enough sense to reign back her recklessness to gulp and averted her gaze. Nyoko hated this fighting but for Kumori to stand up and answer, unafraid of the burning hatred emitting from the silver-haired girl's core, meant that she had to be onto something. She could feel it, Kumori had some kind of answer here.

"Clearly it was the cliff. That's where I was taking us. Now get out of my way," Tatsuma states causing Miu to jump and roughly turned around, Kumori and Nyoko watching halfheartedly as she started tugging her blazer-pouch off of her torso, carelessly tossing it and the metal objects to the ground with an echoing 'clank' upon impact. Miu cowered behind the two taller girls, waiting for Tatsuma to do something most-likely leaning towards a fight.

"Hey Tatsuma, what are you doing?" Nyoko bluntly asked, causing the other girl to give her a 'what the hell' kind of look, raising her sharp eyebrows and pulling her full lips into a thin line as if to say, 'isn't it obvious?' but the notion was lost on the oblivious bluenette, who stared curiously back, Kumori's hopeless sigh and a small smile breaking the moment and seemed to actually loosen some of the tension in Tatsuma's shoulders at not being the only one aware of Nyoko's obliviousness.

"Obviously, I'm going to climb this damn mountain cliff and find whatever fucking object we have to find and bring it back down so I can get out of this group as soon as possible," Tatsuma snapped leaving no room for discussion as she immediately trudged over to the mount the cliffside. The other three were left to helplessly watch the silver-haired dragon girl observed the rough edge, assessing the best way to make the ascension into the air.

"Actually, I think I might be able to help here…" Kumori spoke lowly, tone serious as Nyoko and Miu shifted their gazes to look at the other. 'Sounds like Kumori might have a plan,' Miu mused before turning to look back at Tatsuma, hand rubbing her chin in a thoughtful manner, eyes squinted up at the towering rock. Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to tell her that? Miu didn't really see Tatsuma as the type to consider other opinions that weren't her own. Not that Miu knew her well, but the dragon girl seemed to prefer doing things her own way.

Much to Miu's dismay, Nyoko squealed aloud, clapping her hands together as she leaned in way too close to the purple-eyed girl, foreheads almost grazing, causing Kumori to slightly shrink back. "What's your plan, Kumori!? Come on, tell us!" Nyoko badgered, nudging the other with her shoulder as Kumori calmly adjusted her blazer back into place, smoothing out the wrinkles, so she looked her prim and polished self.

"Well, given the height of the mountain, as well as the trajectory being straight up, I think my quirk might be a bit better suited for the situation. Tatsuma has been using her quirk for a while now, to fly and I'm concerned that she might be overdoing it and won't be able to fly all the way to the top," Kumori calmly answered, voice void of all emotion except for reason.

 _Name: Hattori Kumori_

 _Quirk: Spider Silk - She has a gland inside her mouth that can shoot spider thread. She can control how sticky or strong the thread is, though there tends to be a tradeoff between the two. The Quirk is great for both tying up opponents or producing "rope" for climbing. If she overuses her Quirk, her mouth starts to dry out, in turn making it harder for her to produce the thread._

As soon as the words had left her mouth, Tatsuma was turning around and trekking over to them, black flats stomping powerfully against the ground and face fierce. The fire blazing in her gaze unlike what she had ever seen before, made both a terrified Miu and stunned Nyoko step back from the sheer anger radiating off of her in large consuming waves. Though, much to Miu's horror, Kumori stood still, posture straight and poised, thin arms at her side and body unflinching as if an extremely pissed off and scary Tatsuma wasn't standing just a few inches away from her.

"What did you say? You think you're better suited for this assignment then me? I think not! I don't need help from someone like you. I'm very capable of coming up with my own plans," Tatsuma snapped, tone bitter and hateful with the vengeance of a thousand suns raining down flames. Miu could see the distrust swirling in her golden eyes as she scanned Kumori up and down, "My quirk IS the best for this or any other meaningless assignment Bright Lord gives us. I can literally fly up there and take the object, simple as that," Kumori flinched at the other's tone but still stood her ground.

"I didn't mean that I was better suited for this assignment, I meant that my quirk was for this specific part. I wasn't trying to offend you," Kumori calmly explained in her soft, overly polite monotone. It seemed she was treading lightly, but at the same time, she was unnervingly curious, leaning forward with unwavering unblinking eyes drinking in the scene like she was in a trance. It was almost as if she was egging the other girl on to see her reactions, just how far she'd take it, and that thought scared Miu. Tatsuma was someone who was bitter and detached, but she had no doubt that when the flames inside her were lit, she could tear someone down to shreds.

Did Kumori honestly have a deathwish? Or was she just oblivious to Tatsuma's wavering anger?

"So far, the three of you haven't been of any use to me. I've found two objects alone, while you all wander around like lost puppies. I don't need your quirk to find anything. Just go back to slacking off, and I'll handle the rest," Tatsuma said through clenched teeth, before adjusting herself, eyes blazing as she stared down the other girl.

The dragon girl was all stubborn, distant strategy and from what she thought in her own mind, she was going about this the right way - her way. Any other option wouldn't suffice, couldn't make her see a successful end. Miu didn't think Tatsuma was purposely trying to be mean, but she only thought of plans based on her own reasoning and couldn't see the views of others. So did Tatsuma feel threatened by Kumori's response, or think the other doubted her competence?

Much to Miu and Nyoko's surprise, Kumori just stepped closer, almost subconsciously. If the goth girl was afraid of the other, she didn't show it almost as if she was still caught up in her strange trance, the usually quiet and calm girl, too polite and curious for her own good getting pulled in by the heated danger of Tatsuma. "My apologies, Tatsuma-san but It's difficult to help when you wouldn't let us see the map, and you push us away. We aren't trying to be in the way, we're a team, and as Nyoko-san said, we have to stick together. If you don't let us help then how can we be of assistance?" Kumori softly replied, blinking up at the other with her intensity.

Tatsuma stared back at the other in dead silence, causing the rest of the group to hold their own breath, waiting for whatever reaction came from the other girl. Whatever they were expecting though, wasn't what actually happened. Tatsuma scoffed, rolling her eyes and practically laughed in the other girls face, haughty voice booming over the silence, "You, helpful? Hilarious. Go on then, go right ahead and show me."

The golden eyed girl stared back at her, a smirk on her scarred face, and crossed her arms over her chest. The look bubbling under the surface of those bright embers was that of a challenge as if she honestly didn't believe Kumori was much of anything, but she was surprisingly giving her the opportunity, even if it was offensive and almost a joke. Kumori blinked back, surprise flashing over her face for a split second before she gave a curt nod and moved around Tatsuma with a, "Thank you."

Tatsuma sputtered back, staring in disbelief as the other girl went about heading over to the cliff face like she couldn't believe the other had the nerve to accept her challenge, though she quickly recovered, a haughty smirk on her face as her eyes narrowed in scrutiny. "This oughta be good," Tatsuma said under her breath, and Miu couldn't help the hopeful little bubble that found its way into her chest. ' _Come on, Kumori, you can do this!_ ' the pink-eyed girl thought as Nyoko cheered allowed for the spider-like girl.

"Right on, Kumori! Show us your stuff! Get that metal piece!" Nyoko yelled out, throwing a thumbs up in the other's direction as Kumori approached the cliffside, long legs striding carefully around the littered tree roots and small rocks at the base. Miu, Nyoko, and Tatsuma watch with bated breath as the white-haired girl stares straight up to the very top of the mountain-side, all three pairs of eyes narrowing in concentration and before Miu knows it, her mouth is opening a huge, sticky string of what looks to be spider-silk shoots out of the glands in her mouth, into a perfectly straight rope connecting to the very rough tip of the cliff's edge.

"Yeah, that's my girl, Kumori! Nice job!" Nyoko excitedly hollers and fidgets with uncontainable energy at Miu's side, eyes crinkling in what the smaller girl assumes is a smile. Kumori however, doesn't acknowledge her calls and instead cuts off the strands of silk with her sharp teeth. Tatsuma practically glares when Kumori wraps the fine string around her slim waist and with a small tug, places her feet on the raw mountain-side and starts climbing.

Miu watches in awe as the spindly-limbed girl nimbly scales the jagged rocks as if her body was made for it, twintails swinging in the air with her precise movements. She couldn't help but think that the taller girl looked exactly like a spider making her way across her web with grace and caution the higher she went until Miu had to squint from the blinding rays of the sun. Placing a hand over her eyes to shield her view, Kumori's form came into focus at the very top of the cliff. She pulled her body weight over the side until she disappeared over the edge for a few seconds before her head popped back over. She stared down at the three girls waiting on the ground before holding something in sight with her long pale fingers.

Sparkling in the sun was indeed another rounded edged metal piece, distinctively similar to the two others still protected in the confines of Tatsuma's blazer - just what they were looking for.

The blunette beside Miu cupped her hands over the gas mask covering her mouth before yelling, "Ahh yeah! That's exactly what we need! Great job, Kumori! You did it!" Nyoko then proceeded to jump up and down in place, fist pumping the air in victory before going in to high five a fierce-eyed Tatsuma. When the silver-haired female didn't react, Miu nervously glanced in her direction to see the intensely silent gaze on her face. Nyoko loudly complained about Tatsuma ' _leaving her hanging_ ,' but the other girl didn't seem to care. Her eyes were narrowed almost to slits, staring up at the distant form of Kumori with her arms crossed over her larger chest. The scar over her left eye practically glowed with the anger rolling off of her but, when Nyoko lost interested and turned back to Kumori, Miu could've sworn there was a certain look of acceptance in her gaze, the ferocity softening just a bit as she looked away, a small respectable frown on her face.

Tatsuma nodded to herself, the cold, distant female shifting her expression out of sight behind a veil of wild hair as Nyoko continued to congratulate Kumori as the latter climbed back down the mountain with her solid grip on the piece of the shield.

' _Maybe this group wouldn't be so bad after all?_ ' Miu thought with a small smile.

* * *

 **- _End Chapter Two Part Two_**

 **AND there was part two of the first day of school! And what was this, a returning villain you might all recognize? And a new one? Who is Apex? Dang, we focused on a TON of characters this time around lol. This chapter was a literal BEAST. A warm welcome to Nemuro as our last member of 1-B! Did you guys like the idea of our treasure hunt? Man, Bright Lord is definitely an 'out of the box' teacher lol. Please don't cringe to death over our medieval references okay, we KNOW they're lame but we LIKE it. XD Is it just me or are these groups a disaster LOL? (Per reviewers requests, we actually put all of 1-B in a randomized generator to pick these groups LOL! XD So you're welcome for this mess XD)**

 **And we're finally getting a glimpse of class 1-A! Just barely, but they're there. The separation was only lightly introduced but you'll get to see that a bit more later on.**

 **Who's your new fav oc? Anyone stand out this time? Did you get to know someone a bit more? Do you guys see a future rep or vice?**

 **The next part of this chapter should continue with our kids' first assignment, with group two and three, with some other twists and turns. :) Maybe we'll get to see 1-A? Or even some special guests? More villains?** **You guys know the drill, If you have any scene ideas, or even want to see certain characters interact, please let us know in your review. As we start slowly introducing characters, we'll also bring you guys in the mix with voting and polls on certain things, maybe even relationships later on. It's a bit too soon for ships but if any of you come up with one or are interested in the idea then post below or PM us!**

 **Thanks again, everyone** **! Please remember to R &R. Advice and constructive criticism are both welcome.**

 **Have a wonderful day! Hit us up on PM or through the forum! And don't forget to vote for the poll and to check out the new TVTropes site! Thanks sweeties!**


	10. IMPORTANT UPDATE! (Please read)

**IMPORTANT UPDATE: MUST READ!**

 _ **Waterlilies and Lunairia:**_

Hey guys, this is an extremely important update. We've been dreading doing this, but honestly, this is something we have to do right now. Lunairia is now in her busy season of her job, and she's been very swamped with work, and I started back to college this past week, and I've already been so overwhelmed with school and work that both Luna and I have been having literal panic attacks on getting this next chapter out to you guys. I had a huge project that I had to finish by this weekend, and I've been working non-stop on that as well as going into work, and I'm just so in over my head right now. We literally typed over 20K, and then I deleted the first half because it was so God awful and not us at all. We've been so stressed that it's taking a huge mental toll of the both of us and we've both been dreading writing this new update and posting something that is half-assed or just plain terrible. We don't want to feel this way or for you guys to feel like our writing has become a chore or subpar. We love writing this story, and we love being in the amazing little circle of fans with you guys, and we're not stopping, so please don't worry. But Luna and I have talked, and right now we just can't be on here because we have zero time. So we have decided, even though we're not happy to tell you guys this, that we're going to have to take a two to three-week hiatus from this story, starting today. Both of us are too busy with life right now, and I'm trying to get back into the swing of balancing college again with work, and we can't update at the moment. I think this is what's best for our mental health and for our story as a total because we don't want to produce something we're not proud of and we hope you guys understand. We feel so freaking bad about this, but we need to go on this short hiatus for just a few weeks to get back on track. I hope you all understand and don't hate us for this. We'll keep all of you updated and get on here when we can. Thank you guys for all of your support, it means so much to us, and we hope we haven't let you all down.

We'll be updating after our two to three-week hiatus, starting today. We will not be going over this set amount of time unless something horrible happens, so you can count on us to be back. Please feel free to still PM us and get on the forum. We'll be around when we have free moments.

Thank you all, you're the best!


	11. Ch 2 Part 3: Unsure Beginnings Cont

Hey, again dears! WE ARE BACK! :D Firstly, I want to start this by saying how thankful we are for you guys giving us the chance to have a hiatus. We're so sorry that we had to put this story on pause, but the both of us desperately needed a break, and It's a good thing too because we've been so busy with our jobs and school that it would've been impossible for us to update with how crazy life was. So thank you all for being so understanding, we're so grateful. Your support means the world to us, and we're so glad to be back and updating again. You guys are for real our motivation that keeps this story going and your reviews and interest really fuel our writing, so thank you all.

I have SO MANY PMs to go through so I promise you guys will all hear back from me soon and thank you all for taking the time to message me, that means so much. I seriously LOVE talking to you guys, and I've made so many friends through this story for which I'm grateful for. :)

This update is for you guys, and we hope the long **_word count of almost 17,000_** makes up for our month hiatus. Thank you guys again for being so understanding and giving us that break to catch up on our lives. We're so happy to bring you all a new chapter and continue where we left off. I'm honestly so freaking disappointed in the first scene of this chapter for group three, I just wasn't super happy about how shit it turned out, it's NOT even close to my best work so please forgive me for that. Group four's scene was 10/10 thanks to the amazing Luna who seriously made this chapter shine because of her FANTASTIC writing skills lol, so you guys can thank her for all of the good scenes lol. I'm very anxious for this chapter, and it's first scene, so I hope it doesn't disappoint too much. :/

Next chapter should be the end of the day as well as a surprise ending scene that we hope you guys are prepared for LOL XD, But you all should be introduced to the lovely class 1-A! So please look forward to that. :)

 **-IMPORTANT- In the last update I posted about the polls being open on my profile for you to all vote on class rep and vice, so if you haven't done that already, please make sure to stop by and give us your vote! It's still open for those who haven't voted yet. Also, feel free to update your character profiles on our fansite for this fic on TVTropes! (the link is on my profile) Thank you!**

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 **Disclaimer** \- **We do not own My Hero Academia. This story is merely a work of fiction.**

 **Rating \- M - for graphic scenes of violence, horrific events, death, murder, language, angst, etc.**

 **Warnings \- THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS ADULT LANGUAGE, CANON VIOLENCE, AND MENTIONS OF GORE. You have been warned. Please read at your own discretion. Turn back now if this is not for you**.

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 **Chapter Two Part Three:**

 **Unsure Beginnings**

 **Group Three - U.A. Desert Simulation**

The bright yellow bulb of the sun was high in the watercolor sky, not quite reaching its peak because of the morning hour but still high enough to warm the field below and soak through the fabric of their blazers. Big fluffy white clouds that resembled cotton candy against the cityscape surrounding U.A. lazily sailed across the light blue waves, softening the tall, industrialize, glass and metal skyscrapers towering up from the concrete she could see over the treeline at the edge of the property line. Here at this little patch of prettiness, the small little park of harmony and greenscape that was U.A.'s surrounding land smack dab in the middle of the bustling city brought a sense of peace to Kaiya's mind, warming her body at the same time an eager buzz pleasantly hummed, reverberating in her chest. The familiar pull of drive and determination set her senses on overload - the weather, the atmosphere, everything just put her in a wonderful mood, that couldn't be dampened, though the rest of this couldn't compare to the elation she felt at the assignment at hand. She couldn't hide the bright, determined smile that lit up her delicate features, sharp stormy grey catlike eyes glinting in the morning light. So far things had been doing fairly well, and she was confident that her group would succeed with the teamwork aspect of the assignment. From what she had observed of the other groups before they left them behind, no one else seemed to be getting along very well and completely ignoring the concept of working together. They were a shoe-in for success, she thought with a small smile.

The four trekked through the open, airy green field, ankle deep in the soft grass that crunched under the weight of their shoes, clean white sneakers graced the greenery with her light as air stride. Kaiya's high lavender bun bobbing with each step bangs sweeping across her forehead just as the dangling blue tassels swished through the air. The sun felt warm on her back and brought a light hue of pink to her cheeks that mimicked her teammates. Kokichi's friendly incoherent babble and Ryuji's endearingly lame jokes kept the mood light and comfortable, vanquished any and all discomfort that surprisingly made the group reasonably easy to get along with. Kaiya occasionally gently edged timid little Ryoku into joining the conversation just to make sure the boy wasn't feeling left out, but overall she just felt eager and content. Kokichi's voice was warm and deep, with a airy lit that was pleasant to the ear and made her grin with fondness.

' _Our first assignment is an intellect and group work assessment. Well thought out activity, Sensei. What a fantastic opportunity- and trivia! This will be perfect, definitely my element! And, we're right on schedule!_ ' Watanabe Kaiya mused with a bright-eyed determination lighting up her orbs, placing her hand just below her full chest, feeling for the outline of the carefully folded map inside her inner blazer pocket where she had placed it for safekeeping.

She couldn't help her heart thudding happily in her ribcage with the contained excitement of an assignment, and an intellectual one at that! Her favorite type, of course. That was one thing she knew she excelled at, with being top of her class since she was in elementary school up until now, even getting in U.A. with recommendations. She knew her IQ was something to be self-assured of and would have no problem solving some puzzles and maintaining the spot at the top of her class at U.A to follow up every previous year. Besides that, she couldn't wait to get to know her classmates better and observe them much closer. This would give her a lovely chance to create closer sustainable bonds. Yes, two birds with one stone! And it wouldn't hurt for all of them to make high marks for their first assignment of the year.

Much to her satisfaction, It hadn't taken the group but a short time to figure out the map, instantly cracking down to get the job done. The purple haired girl deduced that the hints were actually riddles and broke down each one with a shocking amount of speed and Ryoku's own quiet yet accurate opinions taking them all by surprise, just adding fuel to the fire. Together, with Kokichi's positive encouragements, the group was set on their map. She was absolutely thrilled that she had found someone else who connected so well to trivia and analysis as herself, Ryoku was proving to be a great candidate for a friend. Once that part of their plan was established, the four jumped into strategizing on how to collect their items the fastest, coming up with the solution of each member walking in line formation to check their designated area. All in all, It sounded like a well-thought plan, and the four couldn't help but feel a burst of confidence at their pending success. And before any of the other groups even had a chance to move, they quickly headed off in search of their first item, thankfully falling into a comfortable rhythm with one another.

"Remember, our first clue was, - _**There are millions of me. I am very small, but when moving fast I am deadly**_ \- So we have to find the desert simulation and go from there to use the riddles we've solved as our map. If we work together and efficiently, I think we'll be able to take first place," Kaiya assuredly spoke, watching Ryoku nod in agreement from the corner of her eye from his spot at her side. The both of them sharing a determined glint in their gazes as they waded through the ankle length greenery that clashed wildly with her lavender locks and Ryuji's bright colored attire. A gentle breeze wafted over the group, giving them a slight reprieve from the morning sun beaming down onto their backs, ruffling their hair and uniforms, Kaiya's skirt swishing back and forth against her toned pale legs with each step.

' _Hmm, I wonder how far we'll have to trek until we make it,_ ' she quietly wondered, eyes only being able to make out a wide field of grass in the horizon, they couldn't be too far off from the desert. This simulation could only go so far, right? If they just kept walking at their current speed without slowing down then they were bound to make good timing, she supposed.

"Wow, you really think we can make first place? I was just going for passing, but this is great!" Kokichi, the white-haired giant exclaimed with a smile, clapping his hands together as his pale blue eyes crinkled with the weight of his grin from over Ryoku's head. Kaiya felt herself share the expression, her own small smile curling over her pink lips at the taller boy's energetic antics.

 _ **Name: Kokichi Serabara**_  
 _ **Quirk: Catharsis - In which the user channels their rage to create feats of superhuman strength. Essentially, the user has to stockpile negative emotions in order to access their power. There are several stages to this power, and each state has some sort of visual key- within the eyes, and the color of the aura surrounding them.**_

He reminded her of a gentle yet energetic and social puppy - a very tall, lanky limbed boy with light blue eyes and messy white-hair, divided by the curtains of fringe on either side of his face and a sickly build - but a puppy all the same. What with his rather noticeable habit of clinging to anyone in sight, dependently yipping in their ears and bringing smiles to their faces, but it was sweet nonetheless. Upon first meeting Kaiya couldn't help but be in awe at the other's height, easily towering over both herself and Ryoku, who were of the same height, and even remaining a few inches taller that Ryuji. At first, she had been mildly surprised by his intimidating frame, all wiry muscles and a deep stare that rivaled her own hawk-like searching gaze, and it seemed that she wasn't the only one who thought so. When she initially approached the group who had all gathered ahead of her Ryuji's open-mouthed gaping stare at the taller boy definitely drew in her attention, but that all changed as soon as Kokichi opens his mouth, and turns out to be a bundle of self-deprecating friendliness, which was a very surprising yet not unwelcomed turn of events. Kokichi definitely proved that you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, she believed that much, for the boy was anything but typical.

Well, she wasn't entirely confident that they would make first place, but she'd be damned if she didn't try with everything in her. They had a pretty good chance of doing well, that she was sure of, especially since the other groups hadn't even moved yet to take action, so currently that had the lead. There was still a chance, even if it was a sliver that they could fall behind, but she wouldn't have first place slip from her fingers without putting in one hundred percent effort.

"Of course, you never know until you try. But you should always shoot for the top and give it your all despite any circumstances," Kaiya carefully flicking her bangs out of her eyesight, before reaching down and carefully plucking the map from her pocket, unfolding the paper in her small hands to gaze down at the map the last time - yes, they were heading in the right direction - before gently folding it in half and placing it in her blazer pocket for safe keeping.

The brunette, Ryuji, walked at the further end of the group, the pockets of his green slacks that hung onto his slim hips by the mere threads of his brown belt, purple converse - _strange choice of attire,_ she couldn't help but think - wading in the grass as he chuckled and talked to the much taller white-haired boy who practically clung to his side in excitement. His school-issued blazer hugged his lean torso from where it stretched across his chest, and he had haphazardly rolled his sleeves up to his elbows, exposing the pale skin of his forearms and two identical brown leather bands on either wrist. Ryoku even timidly conversed with the easy-going brunette, his carefree and relaxed vibe keeping the group in check. She had recognized him from this morning from the hero course hallway where she met a lost and confused Pompom being directed by a stuttering and blushing Ryuji who ended up letting his friend - the feminine featured blonde boy, Ritsuo - do the rest of the talking while he nervously laughed from behind. Once the two boys were on their way, she caught up with Pompom, the precious pink skinned girl she had the pleasure of sitting by in the auditorium, and trailed behind with her.

Ryuji easily avoided her gaze, brown eyes alternatively downcasted on the grass and glancing over at Kokichi as a deep blush reddened his cheeks, and he awkwardly scratched the back of his neck. Every time their eyes met, he would make some kind of noise between a choke, a scream, and a laugh, and look in the other direction. Regardless of trying to ignore it, she couldn't help feel bad and worry if she had offended him somehow as she silently bit the inside of her cheek. The uncomfortableness churned in the pit of her stomach, and she tried to push it down, failing as usual because, ' _damn I just can't ignore it_!' She mentally gave in. It was just too much, and no matter how she tried to pretend that his purposeful avoidance didn't hurt her feelings, the fact remained obvious to her. No one enjoyed being left out, that's for sure.

' _Hmm, he's acting similar to earlier with Pompom. Did I do something to him?_ ' she wondered, a small frown tugging the corner of her lips down, the familiar feeling of hurt tugging at her heartstrings, but refused to say anything allowed and draw attention to the situation, especially if the other teen didn't realize he was doing it. But he had to, right? Or at least, she thought he did. It was pretty obvious that he was staying as far away from her as possible. ' _It had to be me, right? He's acting normal to Ryoku and Kokichi. Is something upsetting him? Am I too forward? Not forward enough?_ ' Kaiya knew these sensations, the swirling of worry prying to the forefront from its spot stored away at the back of her mind, as her thought process threatened to overwhelm her. She silently grits her teeth even harder jaw a hallowing ache at the reaction, her father's voice echoing in her mind, grounding her as her gaze remained on the glinting gold waves peaking in the horizon.

She didn't need to fret over something that she wasn't even sure of. That wouldn't do any good. ' _No, no need to think like that, Watanabe. Time to focus. Don't start your worrying now_ ,' Kaiya bit her lip and nodded her head, she needed to swallow this down, this wasn't the time or place to get worked up. She had to be a leader, not a worrisome naive child. Of course, she didn't want to hurt the boy's feelings or make him uncomfortable, but she couldn't push him or automatically think the worst, he would tell her in time, she figured was the best solution, especially since Kokichi seemed to be almost protecting the other from her wandering gaze. Oh yes, she didn't miss the white-haired giant's none too precise steps just in front of the brunette when he caught her sneaking a peak, automatically shoots her grins that were far too wide to be considered casual. Oh no, she was on to them. There weren't exactly subtle, she shook her head fondly.

But, she wouldn't pry, she would wait for the opportune moment. ' _Yes, of course, why didn't I think of that earlier? Don't overdo it, Watanabe,_ ' the lavender hair girl cheered to herself, ' _just give it time to convince him to talk to me. Or carefully deduct his emotions, either_ way _, I'll get to the bottom of this soon enough_.' With that thought finalizing her concerns, she now had to focus, no more worrying, she mused, they had an assignment to ace! Speaking of which, her eyes shifted to her oblivious teammates, she still needed to get to know them! She hadn't talked to them nearly enough to actually get anywhere, overall, they had just made pretty casual conversation, but if she wanted to make friends, then she'd have to try harder. Her attention instantly drew back to the boy of the same height next to her, hovering so close that she can feel the body heat radiating off of him, his arm occasionally brushing against her own with the loose swings of the appendage, bringing her back to the real world out of her musings.

 _ **Name: Ryoku Kiryoke**_

 _ **Quirk: Phantasia - He has two parts first allows him to summon phantasmal constructs to aid him in battle. The second part allows him to move short distances in the blink of an eye. His constructs take focus to create, and they must be created near his person otherwise they will just dissipate but once created can travel indefinitely.**_

"This was some excellent thinking Ryoku-san, you must also be a fan of academics," Kaiya turned to give the dark-haired, large-eyed boy a once over, her own grey gaze gleaming with warmth and curiosity.

The boy of equal height blink back at her, a flustered blush creeping over the apples of his cheeks before his shy gaze immediately flickered to his feet, ' _how cute_ ,' she thought with fondness, her heart bursting at the pure timid nature of the other teen. She could just hug him at how adorable he was! Though, at the same time, she just wanted to reach out and tilt his head upwards, hating to see him tilt it down in submission. Upon first meeting, she instantly could see the way his shoulders pinched together in a nervous bundle of muscles, form lightly quivering and eyes shyly trained down. It was pretty apparent that the teen had insecurities and social anxieties and her heart panged deep in her chest for him. She couldn't fathom why he would feel such a way, considering how kind and intelligent he was. He had no reason to be insecure, she thought. But she was already sold, her gentle nature getting the best of her, wanting to protect and mentor the rounded face teen.

"Oh um - thank you, Kaiya-san...I'm more of a fan of solving puzzles, to be honest," Ryoku answered softly, scuffing his loafers against the thinning grass. The sun seemed to heighten, she noticed absentmindedly, feeling the warm rays beaming down tenfold onto the fabric of her blazzer, just as they approached a bed of sand that had to be the tale-tale signs of the beginning of the desert simulation. 'Finally! This has to be it, we're so close,' she grinned to herself in triumph, sharp eyes taking in where, sure enough, hills after hills of sand dunes rolled in the artificial sun. Stark forest green cacti sprouted in random patches, alternating between large groups to small, lone standing figures.

"Really? I love puzzles and games that test your intellect. I'm happy to meet a fellow fan. Not enough people truly appreciate the art. I can't deny that I was pretty excited over our first assignment being a treasure hunt. The riddles are so refreshing. Sensei is a genius," Kaiya gushed feeling like a complete dork but not being able to hide her nerdiness, smoothing down her skirt. If this was something, they could bond over then, so be it. She'd be happy to revel over brainy nonsense with a fellow intellectual.

Much to her surprise, and pleasure, Kaiya was sure to note that Ryoku cautiously lifted his head, slow but sure signs he was opting to let his guard down. Large dark brown eyes glistened with unspoken excitement, that lit up his whole, rounded face, and reminded Kaiya of a child and this time she had to physically restrain herself, digging her nails into the palms of her hands to keep herself from hugging the boy and most likely freaking him out beyond measure.

"I agree, Bright Lord Sensei is a good teacher. I like how diverse his teaching style is compared to other U.A. pro heroes. I prefer academics over physical assignments, so I was relieved when he revealed the treasure hunt," Ryoku retorted, excitement peaking into his soft voice, dropping his guard almost all the way just as they fully entered the desert simulation.

"I was more excited about the teamwork aspect than the actual assignment, I don't really know much about riddles myself, unlike you two experts," Kokichi spoke playfully, sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck under the flush of blinding light, "But I do know about friendship, and I can already say we made a one hundred in that department!" He brightly cheered causing the group to laugh at the sheer goofiness simultaneously. Lord, it was just so endearingly terrible, Kaiya giggles to herself, she and Ryoku sharing a look.

"Hey man, I thought I was the one with the lame jokes huh. This dessert isn't big enough for the both of us," Ryuji laughed, nudging the taller blonde with a cheesy accent and an easy chuckle and Kaiya felt herself smile at their dynamic. So far they were getting along perfectly if they could keep up this teamwork they'd be a shoe-in for first place or at least find all of their items quickly.

By now, the wind is stirring and threatening, whooshing under the surface as a potent force to be reckoned with. The golden beads of sand shifts and moves with it, whirling a few inches above the rolling dunes and through their hair and uniforms. The sensation is soothing and holds a familiarity that resonates with her quirk and causes her to feel at ease. Thankfully, they don't have to scramble through the hills and mountains of sand dunes looking for their objects placements, thanks to already solving all of the clues of the map. That peace of mind relaxes and comforts the lavender-haired girl as she gracefully wades through the sand, the satisfying crunch under her feet from the dryness, steading her strides with the pull of her quirk, and the rest of her group does the same at her sides.

"For a simulation, this sand in my eyes feels pretty real," Ryuji draws as he brushes the golden grains out of his long brown hair while Kokichi gives a hum of agreement before rubbing the sand out of his own eyes. Kaiya can't help but agree when she feels the tug of wind flutter through the bangs on the skin of her forehead and loose strands of light hair framing her face.

"Yeah, U.A. was spot on with this stuff, but I kind of wish they weren't, because I'm having a hard time seeing. But it's a good thing we already know where everything is," Kokichi blurted out over the beginning of the already wild wind picking up.

Uh oh, Kaiya nervously thought to herself, biting her lip as the wind ruffled through her skirt and she quickly held it down before the fabric could flip up and cause a genuinely mortifying moment, this didn't look too good. They needed to hurry and find their objects before a sandstorm hit. With the unpredictability of this simulation, she had no idea how to gauge how strong one might be, or even if her own air manipulation quirk would be able to control the forces. Since this wasn't real, they were pretty much in the dark about how this would affect them, so the only logical thing to do was work quickly before any real danger struck.

"Let's make quick work of this then! All we have to do is locate the treasures, which shouldn't take too long. I'm sure we'll finish together in no time as the top guild," Kaiya shouted over the wind with a warm smile before the three boys all called back, "Right!" and they all carefully made their way forwards into the mess.

Sure enough, Ryuji was already pointing out something glinting in the bright sunlight, just a few meters ahead in the outskirts of a small three-pronged cactus' shadow, a mix of polished silver and beautiful deep sapphire amongst the bed of golden brown waves. That had to be their first object! Kaiya thought in relief before speeding up her pace, the faster they found these objects then, the quicker they would be out of imminent danger.

"Wow, good eye, Ryuji! That must be our first item on the list," Kokichi grinned, the tall, long-limbed boy clapping the slightly shorter darker haired boy on the back, as Ryuji chuckled with a shrug causing his just shy of shoulder-length locks to waver in their gelled back confines, threatening to fly out of place.

"Thanks, man, I'm just surprised I could see anything in all of this sand," The brunette confessed before quickly approaching the bright object and with careful fingers, bent over and plucked it up out of the sand. Ryuji narrowed his brown eyes in concentration as a stern look washed over his handsome features while he turned the small sphere shaped weighted silver piece in his pale hands. He ran the pads of his fingers over a sharply cut sapphire at the very bottom of the silver sphere before glancing up at the rest of the group who peered at him curiously.

"Now, what is this?" The brunette asked in confusion, with a furrow of his brows as he held up the object to eye level so the other three could see. "It feels a little heavy, kind of like it's weighted and looks like there's a small hole at the top with little divots, that maybe something fits into?"

Immediately Ryuji seemed to have an epiphany as he face-palmed and groaned aloud like he was extremely disappointed with himself and him, Ryoku, and Kaiya eyes all lit up as they smiled at each other, exclaiming, "Pommel!" with barely concealed eagerness causing Kokichi to shoot them an equally confused look.

"Of course Bright Lord Sensei would choose such an object for us to find. It's clear now what Sensei has in mind. We should've caught on earlier, it was obvious but still a nice challenge," Kaiya stated almost to herself as she brushed stray locks behind her ears, and peered with her sharp grey eyes, out into the distance. It only makes sense that Sensei would create such an endearingly cheesy plan for them, she thought as a fond grin curled over her features, but it worked, nonetheless. But now, they would actually know what they were searching for instead of aimlessly milling about.

"I can't believe I didn't notice it before. Just wow, I can't even understand myself sometimes," Ryuji said with a chuckle as he dropped the sphere down into the palm of his hand, rolling the weighted ball in his fist. "I literally use a sword as one of the weapons I can make with my quirk. I should know this off the top of my head."

Kokichi let out a good-natured laugh from beside him as he peered down with his blue eyes to the newly discovered 'pommel' thing, whatever that was, he thought with a chuckle, "I feel like I still know as much as I did before." Hell, he didn't mind if he didn't know what it was just as long as they were making progress and found all of the objects at the map locations. He could find out the names of these things later if he needed to. Kokichi blinked over at the boy with large intrigued blue eyes, almost as an afterthought as he muttered in awe, "You can make weapons with your quirk?"

"A pommel is the little ending piece of a sword that connects to the hilt. It serves to counterbalance the weight of the blade, " Ryoku spoke in his quiet yet soothing voice, a knowing hint to his tone causing the lanky giant to nod his head in understanding, before turning to address Ryuji with rounded dark eyes, "You fight with a sword, Ryuji-san?"

The brunette in question rose his eyebrows, taken mildly off guard before shrugging his shoulders and reached up a hand to scratch at his nape, "A little, not that I'm an expert or anything, but I do practice a lot. Sounds to me like you might know a bit as well though." Kaiya, on the other hand, immediately cast her gaze to the timid boy, eyes wide in surprise before a small smile pulled onto her face. "You know about swords too, Ryoku-san?" Kaiya blinked in interest at the dark haired boy as he embarrassedly blushed an even darker hue and glanced down. Kokichi gasped loudly, practically jumping over the female as he leaned his entire body over her to peer down at Ryoku, head falling on the lavender-haired girl's thin shoulder, causing her to blink in surprise but quickly recover to stare with an identical inquisitive look. With the small boy under such an intense pair of gazes, he gulped and shuffled his feet, turning to glance at Ryuji out of the corner of his eye, who in turn just shrugged with an easy grin.

Kaiya waited patiently while Kokichi squealed in her ear, while the boy seemed to have some internal struggle, an apparent panic darkening his brown eyes before he found his voice.

"Only a little bit, not too much, definitely not as much as my sister," The boy trailed off, nervously shifting his hands up to his bright red tie, adjusting the material around his neck as he gulped.

Kokichi excitedly moved about, eyes widening and posture perking up like a puppy. He wrapped an arm around the smaller boys shoulders and gently squeezed, causing the smaller boy to let out an embarrassed squeak and usually pale face turn a blood red. Kaiya smiled softly at the exchange while Ryuji laughed with a call of, "Don't squish the boy to death, blondie."

"Wow, your sister? Does she know how to use a sword? So does that mean you do know about knights and stuff? That's so cool, Ryoku! You'll have to show me some of your fighting skills sometime! I'd love to see, you and Ryuji both," The white-haired boy babbled enthusiastically, much to Ryoku's horror, which only made Ryuji laugh and feel slightly sorry for the kid. Before Kokichi could completely freak out the smaller boy, Kaiya brought their attention back to the task, and the four of them trekked ahead in search of the rest of their items.

It was pretty evident that they were searching for parts of a sword, and thankfully, the glimmering silver stood out like a sore thumb in the midst of a sea of gold. She had to admit that the pieces weren't hidden that well in the flurry of sand, but Bright Lord had done his very best with the limited hiding placing in a desert. Before they knew it, they had already found two more pieces in a span of about eight minutes and Ryuji was working on connecting the sword together with expert nimble fingers. However, with that being said, it had seemed that the sandstorm only worsened with the findings of the pieces, to the point that even she was having a hard time seeing anything besides grainy brown clouding up her vision.

"I think all we're missing now is the blade!" Ryuji yelled over the sound of the strong winds that smacked them dead on, over and over again, as a spray of sand drenched their bodies. Before any of them can reply, it's like there's an immediately snap in the atmosphere, and the sand starts hammering them wildly, the wind blowing so strongly that Kaiya is honestly shocked, white sneakers buried to the ankle in the stuff. The loud rushing in her ears is almost deafening, blowing over and over again like waves cracking onto the shore amped up by a megaphone.

A strange feeling of helplessness racks over her, and she freezes, no longer being able to hear or even see her teammates through the veil that wraps around her body like a vice. _Where are they? Are they right here? What's happening? I can't see!_ With her quirk, she never feels out of control with the wind, instead, feeling one with the breeze, but now, all she feels is a crushing sense of panic. Her calm, cool exterior that she's perfected for so long is slowly crumbling to reveal her emotions that she forced back, out of the unseen eye of her teammates. _No, no she had to be strong, stop being weak,_ she thinks in a flurry. Her chest heaves with rapid breathe puffing from her flaring nostrils, and her heart threatens to send her into cardiac arrest with have heavy it thunders and pounds.

The blood in her veins runs cold as she feels herself being blown back and for some reason that makes her upset and angry beyond recognition, she can't force herself to move or even use her quirk. A loud whooshing noise is the only thing she can hear, consuming her senses as sand comes at her in all directions. Kaiya's eyes sting with stray grains hazing her vision and her uniform billows around her with the wind.

 _'Where are they? Are they okay? I need to do something. Too many ideas, **too much**_.' Rushes through her head as a silent mantra, over and over again on loop as so many thoughts and ideas hit her at once until they're swarming into an indistinguishable blob of plans and Kaiya finds herself fearful. Her downfall, a tinge of fearful realization hits her at the thought, too many ideas come to her at once, overwhelming her until she can't process or even think properly, whispering in her ears and shutting down the system that is her brain. She can't take it, can't take the crushing feeling that weighs in her chest, the mass of her once clear folders and filing system that is her mind, now flipped over and spilling out.

"Oh god," she whispered to herself before a wave of anger washes over her, the emotions she held back resurfacing with her panic until she's practically overwhelmed with herself. She feels like crying, or possibly screaming at the top of her lungs, getting mad beyond reason, something, anything in this instant beside standing her like an idiot. She does not stand like an idiot, she's a woman of seriousness, of level-headed intelligence, but right now none of that is surfacing, none of it matters. She's pissed at herself, at her actions, at her lack of movement. There's a whole plethora of wind surrounding her and she, being an air manipulator, in her own element can't do a single thing? _Useless. This isn't her. This isn't who she is_ -

She needs to find some way to ground herself, to stop her thoughts and calm the raging wind inside of her. She knows that's her best option, the only alternative to get ahold of herself and save her teammates. To be a hero. Kaiya feels it inside of her, the strong urge to move, to protect, but to her frustrations, she physically can't.

' _What the hell do you think you're doing? Get yourself together. This is your element! This is where you should thrive. What kind of hero are you? You're really doing a lot by panicking, aren't you? There you go by letting your worries get to you. Really smart, Kaiya_ ,' She hisses to herself while gritting her teeth in irritation, that is just as she finally hears it, the faint voice that she thought was in her mind echoing from some mere meters away that she makes out with a feeling of shock the replaces all of the panic inside of her, ' _Is that Ryuji?_ ' She blinks, the storm inside of her stilling just as some of the sand drops around her, stilling movement that she doesn't even process at the moment.

As if he could read her thoughts, something rusty red shoots out of the haze of sand and moves to wrap around her thin wrist, lightly tugging her like a leaf in the wind until she realizes the strange lasso is actually connected to the brunette that hastily pulls her in. Suddenly, concerned brown eyes and equally brown hair consumed her vision and stunned, she blinks down to where a grey sleeve of his blazer is rolled up to his elbow, exposing a series of slashes and cuts where his leather bracelet used to be. That's where the lasso is coming from - blood, his blood. She's wrapped in his blood. Ryuji used his quirk to save her. She blinks dumbly, eyes zoned in on the rusty liquid beading over the thin, pale skin, trailing down in tiny cuts that rip at her insides like a knife.

"Damn, are you okay? I thought I heard you near me so I just did whatever I could think of to try to find you. I couldn't see anyone through all of that sand. I guess the storm finally blew in huh?" Ryuji says with a rush, words clear as his eyes dart over her for any signs of danger before his shoulders drop in relief when he realizes that nothing is physically wrong with the shorter teen, though his gaze hovers over her own, quietly comforting and searching for something. However, Kaiya was anything but relieved, more like confused and in a state of shock as she stared back at him. Ryuji lets the lasso uncurl from around her wrist, slowly dropping and tugging back towards him, the blood seeping back into the cuts on his wrist that he quickly covers back up with his bracelet. And before she can even think about what she's doing, pull herself together the words are tumbling out, so unlike her - this is all so unlike her.

"I thought I did something to you, offended you? But you saved me, thank you. I'm very grateful," She says softly, stunned, voice barely heard over the roaring in their ears but the brunette's deep brown orbs seem to light up in response. Ryuji's face softens, and a small sheepish smile replaces the worried frown, though a deep crease digs into his otherwise smooth forehead. The boy subconsciously rubs the back of his neck a faint blush coloring his cheeks.

"Well aren't I just the greatest group partner, huh? No, you didn't do anything - god I'm so fun-," he cuts himself off at the curse and embarrassedly coughs, clearing his throat, "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. Please don't think you did anything. It was me. I - Damn this is so embarrassing, but you deserve the truth - I just can't talk to girls… I've never really been able to. Shit, I'm so sorry, I'm such an ass, I feel awful," Ryuji trails off as his gaze falls to the stormy distance and she notices the guilt washing over his features, darkening his eyes and making him unable to meet her gaze as if physically pained.

' _So it wasn't her fault then, he just can't talk to girls? And despite this, he still went out of his way to be a hero and try to face his fears. This should've been obvious. His actions make complete sense now,_ ' Kaiya deadpans, mulling over this idea before her heart gets the best of her and thunders its way back into the forefront, squeezing in her chest in empathy. She can't be upset with that, not something that isn't really his fault and with such a genuine look on his face. Ryuji really is a good guy. She thinks as her own expression softens, her catlike eyes blinking up at him as a warm fondness seeps into her core. Carefully, she places a gentle hand on his shoulder and gives it a little squeeze, as a smile lights up her face, causing him to startle and turn his attention back down to her.

"There's nothing wrong with being shy, so don't take it so hard, okay? That's actually rather cute, thank you for having the courage to tell me. No hard feelings here, I'm actually flattered that I'm a female that you can talk to. I'm very honored," Kaiya smiles softly up at him and immediately the boy smiles back, his bright, eye-catching grin while a shining blush graces his features and she laughs good-naturedly.

"Hey, you're right! I guess I did sort of find a girl I can talk to, but I definitely went about it the wrong way… I'm still really sorry, but I'm glad there aren't any hard feelings. And I'm the one who's honored to have you as a female acquaintance that I don't stutter like a bumbling idiot to," Ryuji says through a laugh that Kaiya warmly returns before the two of them trail off, realizing that they're just standing in the midst of a sandstorm while the rest of their teammates are nowhere to be seen.

' _Well shit,_ ' they both think at once before Kaiya snaps herself back into action. It was as if Ryuji's quirk not only pulled her out of the storm but also pulled her out of the mess in her mind. The overwhelming throng of thoughts, too many ideas that plagued her at once were no longer, and she could finally think clearly, come up with a plan and execute it efficiently and find Kokichi and Ryoku.

"My quirk is air-based, and since there's so much wind swirling around us this is the perfect atmosphere to manipulate it," Kaiya says as a quick explanation, expecting the boy to ask something along the lines of, 'then why the hell didn't you use it earlier?' But instead, to her surprise and relief, Ryuji nods with a short shout of, "Awesome, give it a go!" Not questioning her any further, before he steps back as the lavender-haired girl sets about righting herself.

With heavy breaths, the girl closes her eyes for a moment, letting the waves of calm rush against the thundering storm inside of her, the pulsing sensation rushing through her veins, under her skin and inside of her body almost like a familiar rushing sensation washes over her, like a bolt of wind coursing through her veins and caressing her. And Cautiously Kaiya reaches her hands up feeling herself calm, body relaxing immediately as the strange yet familiar blur of her quirk controls the air around them. There's a noticeable shift like a magnet to the palms of her hands with every rise and fall of her appendages, the wind and sand mixture slowing down and moving at will with the direction of her pull like a conductor to an awaiting orchestra, until finally a good few meters radius around them are exposed, the air clear as the sand drops back down lifelessly to the ground with a wave of her palm. And thankfully, with the air cleared, her eyes fall on something in the distance, not too far away from Ryuji and herself, that looks like, from what she can make out with the narrowing of her eyes, a giant glowing ethereal hand, and with the cease of the storm, the hand seems to sense this and fall away, revealing both Ryoku with raised palms and Kokichi, from their makeshift shielded hiding spot.

Finally, the weight of the situation drops from its massive spot on her shoulders, and the knot in her chest unties when she breathes a sigh of relief that Ryuji mimics. Even from a distance, she can make out the small ridged form of the dark-haired Ryoku and the tall, lanky form of an excited and relieved Kokichi from where the white-haired boy waves wildly above his head, jumping up and down on the sand with his lanky body, then cups his hands over his mouth, "We finally found you guys! I thought this simulation honestly killed you!"

"Thank goodness you're both okay! You are okay, right? Good thinking on using your quirk, Ryoku, you're a true hero!" The lavender haired girl calls back, the words rushing out in a bout of worry, and a swell of pride at shy little Ryoku's actions. God, she felt like such a mom right now, she couldn't help but think, especially when Ryoku blushes and shuffles his feet from afar and she had to hold herself back from squealing aloud, though a deep warmth settles over her. That boy really didn't know how good of a hero he truly was, way more than her - the last thought is bitter and a low blow to herself, but it's true. She's ashamed at herself and her actions, but so proud and happy that her teammates did so well and were so heroic. They deserved a better teammate then this, so she needs to step up to the plate and prove to them that she could be just as worthy. How could she remain at the top of her class, or even a good teammate when she let her overwhelming thoughts get the best of her?

Ryuji chuckles his low, carefree laugh that floats through the still air that, with a shock reminds her of the brunette's presence before he yells back, "It's about time, that storm was a bad one!" And at his voice, Kokichi honestly looks surprised, his eyes widening as if he can't believe Ryuji is talking in front of a girl before the brightest grin lights up his features and even Ryoku gives a small, timid smile.

And all Kaiya can do is let her own smile grace her features, her gaze soft and her heart content, ' _oh thank god they're safe._ ' She breathes out to herself, the anxiety slowly bubbling out of her pores, exiting her body and leaving behind a feeling of calmness in its wake that soothes her poor overworked muscles, leaving her limp and fuzzy. What a stressful class and it's only the first day! Slowly the lavender-haired girl turned to glance at the brunette standing at her side. Ryuji quickly catches her eye, sharing a long, heady look that flooded her senses, a deep chestnut, rich and warm, he's all elation and content, and she finds his own emotions reflecting in her grey eyes, welling up and consuming her.

She watches in wonder as he slowly lifts his hand in the air, palm facing outwards before curiously flexing his long thin appendages into a fist that she stares at for a solid second before oh, it dawns on her, an invitation. How silly of me, of course, and like a light switch flickering on, she's beaming, pink lips pulling into a toothy grin, lifting her only smaller version of a fist into the air, racing it forward until she meets his fist with her own, soft feeling of the skin of their knuckles rubbing together lightly in a fistbump. And when they pull back, they're both grinning from ear to ear. The warmth in her chest feels so surreal, consuming like fire and as bright as the sun, warming even down to her toes and tinting her cheeks.

And she knows, with the feeling calling her heart home, and the smiles on each of their pink faces only serving to clarify, _she wouldn't let them down_.

* * *

 **Group Four - U.A. Grassland Simulation**

The tension was unbelievably high; had been high for nearly an hour now, constantly lasting throughout the entire hunt. Ever since Akashi had slapped the riddle sheet into his hand and demanded him to be useful, Jeffrey had wanted nothing more than to take the sheet of paper and go off on his own. He absolutely loathed working with such a cocky person; the redhead could be considered handsome if his attitude wasn't so god awfully hideous. His physical appearance wasn't bad at all; spiked red hair, matching red eyes and a face that had Jeffrey thinking of a movie star. Albeit a very cocky and loud-mouthed one; _I'm surprised he actually wears the school uniform with no modifications other than those dog tags around his neck_ , Jeffrey dully notes that fact with his own dark eyes raking the other boy over. He couldn't help but repeatedly glance at his own uniform in comparison; the black suit jacket with the matching tie and slacks as well as his shined to perfection shoes. All of it was black, from his outfit to his short straight hair and slanted eyes. It was clear Jeffrey had a love of the dark color; something to pair with the black birds that followed him about the grassland simulation. Even now, he could see Morgana's dark form flickering between the leaves; could hear her chattering with the other ravens.

Whilst Akashi was all red, Jeffrey was all black; a comparison and contrast that made him stick out like a sore thumb. It was only brought out more by the exhausted boy that was also part of their ragtag little group. Nemuro kept his purple tresses in a shaggy mess on his head as if he wore his hair the exact same way it was once he got out of bed. His school uniform looked to be in complete order; minus the very sloppy way it was put on, making Jeffrey want to straighten the entire thing out right then and there. He couldn't even look at the sleepy boy's tie for very long, the garbled knot on the end looking as if a dog had gotten to it while the surprisingly tall boy took a nap off in some corner. The tired looking boy simply trudged behind them with his hands in his pockets and his eyes on anything but the other members. At least Jeffrey could honestly say he wasn't the only one that would prefer to be literally anywhere but with the group.

The only female in their group; a short and skinny girl with soothing blue hair and matching deep blue eyes had been silent the entire time. She was possibly the only one Jeffrey could look at for longer than five seconds without feeling the need to change something about them. Her hair was well kept, a cutesy fringe framing her face and highlighting her blue eyes. She looked like a pretty doe with the large and expressive orbs, even with the fact that it seemed as if she were moments away from crying. Her face was pinched, eyes watery and downcast as her long lashes cast thin shadows on the spattering of freckles on her cheeks. Her blazer was slightly loose on her body, medium length skirt neat and proper to pair well with her knee-high socks and buckled shoes. Minus her pained facial expression, Jeffrey could honestly say she almost looked exactly how a role model student would. Now if only she could break this god awful silence and tension. On their first riddle, she hadn't even said anything until they addressed her first, her voice watery and shy as if she were experiencing a massive amount of anxiety. She had looked prim and proper, but when combined with her antics, it was clear the girl had serious inhibitions with a group assignment. All she had to do was help solve the riddles with them, Jeffrey didn't see what there was to be shy and fearful of. Well, unless she was somehow afraid of the cocky loudmouth with scarlet hair. He wouldn't blame her too much for it, Akashi did give off an intimidating aura when he trained those fiery red eyes on anyone.

After that, Jeffrey had kept an eye on her just long enough to notice that was her default in a way; always shy and near fearful. Following Nemuro's example of keeping her eyes on anything and everything that wasn't another human, she trailed after them like a submissive puppy always unsure what to do with itself. Her deep blue eyes were constantly facing the ground, ever stuck in a despondent state. Back then, he had assumed if Gracelynn did break down into tears, it would have been entirely Akashi's fault. The teen may not have said much but with his head held so high and the way he walked, Akashi gave off this intense aura of superiority and intimidation that constantly berated Gracelynn only because she was the closest to him. But he hadn't had much time to dwell on that or even try to ease the pressure put on the short girl. For at that moment, Videa had cawed loudly enough to steal his attention away from scrutinizing his classmates. It was a motherly warning, one that told him to get his head in the game rather than worrying about the mental states of those around him. Unless he planned on actually getting involved and fixing whatever issues they had, his best bet was to simply mind his own business.

Their first riddled had been clear as day to him, a phrase that he knew the answer to immediately. **_"I occur naturally in nature, surrounded by fungi. A myth more common than you think, children are warned to avoid me at all times_**." The dark haired teen knew it involved finding a fairy ring of sorts; a huge circular patch of short or dead grass surrounded by mushrooms. Not exactly hard to do when they were surrounded by tall grass ever since they split up from the other groups. Finding it could have been done in his sleep, but Jeffrey wouldn't complain, it just meant they'd get this whole thing finished before he realized it. The fairy ring was easily spotted out from above by Jeffrey's feathered friend, Videa, the corvid's musical voice slipping into his head in its feminine whisper. Found it, just a few paces to your right!

 _ **Name: Jeffrey Mortimer**_

 _ **Quirk: Corvid- Jeffrey can turn himself or just parts of his body into that of a raven. Partial transformation gives him a nearly 15-foot wingspan, and he can speak to ravens or crows at any time. He can even use his wings as a shield in battle.**_

Following the bird's guidance led the dark haired teen to their very first item: an simple flat piece of metal with an elaborate cushion on one side. Plush red velvet was stretched across the surface, golden beads pinned into the fabric every few inches to give it a checkered appearance. The seat was unceremoniously dropped into the center of the fairy ring, tilted at a slight angle as if it were done in a hurry or tossed over someone's shoulder. Nearing the circle, Jeffrey can see the mushrooms are actually quite colorful. Large caps of brilliant red with white speckles dotted among them. No doubt poisonous to eat but nice to look at. Before he even picked up the metal object, Jeffrey knew it was a piece to some kind of chair if the comfortable looking cushion wasn't the most obvious sign. An exasperated sigh comes from his left side, and he turns to spot Nemuro looking at the piece as if he contemplated sitting on it himself and never getting up; eyes forlorn as his bottom lip stuck out in a half pout. The only time he seemed ready to speak, and it was ruined by Akashi shouldering past him, a slim hand ending in elegantly long fingers placed on the tired boy's shoulder. Red eyes flit from the seat cushion to the other two boys before Akashi smirks. "Nice, that took us all of two minutes. I'm surprised you guys aren't as useless as I thought. Keep it up, and I might not mind having you sit in the same class as me!"

They had watched Akashi saunter off soon after; Jeffrey with his arms crossed, lips pursed into a deep frown and Videa now on his shoulder while Nemuro sighed again, droopy eyes glaring between the seat again and the redhead. For a moment, Jeffrey felt as if Nemuro wanted to use their first piece to knock Akashi over the head so that he never got up again. The only reason he didn't question the boy with lavender locks was because Gracelynn made her presence known again by wordlessly taking the seat from him before following after the cocky boy. It was a flawless recovery for the first item; flawless in the sense that no arguing or fighting had broken out. Jeffrey was more content with ignoring Akashi as much as he could, and his teammates seemed to have the same ideas in mind. If the taller boy wanted to believe himself the cream of the crop, they'd crunch down and endure it until the assignment was done. Someone's massive ego and deep lake of pride wasn't going to cost the corvid lover any points from his grade. He could only hope this would be the first and last time he'd be forced to work with the boy, knowing full well he wasn't required to speak with him after class. That thought alone is what kept him from ditching them all and working on his own from the get-go. It would have been so easy, to slip away from them before they even noticed his lack of presence. Jeffrey could have solved the riddles in mere seconds, getting a birds-eye view for where the items would be via assistance from his favorite ravens.

Yet keeping silent hadn't stopped the tension from steadily rising more and more until it had reached its current point; palpable to the point of being uncomfortable. Jeffrey still had the list in hand, Videa no longer on his shoulder as she had taken to the skies once more. Their second riddle had been a tougher one now; not in the sense that it was difficult to decipher but more so due to the fact that it seemed to involve finding something…..alive. Jeffrey looks at the sheet again, dark eyes finding the rhyme without conscious effort. " ** _Red on yellow, kill a fellow; red on black,_ _friend_ _of Jack._** " He'd heard the phrase so many times back in his younger days, mainly as a warning from his mother when he used to play in the yard. He could still remember the day he'd first heard the sound of Morgana's voice; the very first crow he had befriended mere seconds before the other two had arrived to share his grief. He knew if he looked up now, Jeffrey would spot the aforementioned bird slipping between the leaves of the trees around them.

They were ever faithful companions, constantly by his side almost as loving, if not more so as his own mother and sister. Crows and ravens alike, Jeffrey found that they would never and have never let him down. It was to the point that he didn't even consider them pets; then again, he never had. The avians were family to him, stuck to him like glue when his flesh and blood relatives couldn't be in their place. He couldn't count how many times the birds had promised to protect him should any wayward serpents come his way and Jeffrey had vowed to do the same for them. Now he always had three ravens by his side even at the academy; Morgana, Videa, and Ravenna would follow him to the ends of the Earth if need be. A light smile ticks his lips at the thought, but the same question as always popped into his mind and distracted him from the outside world. Did his love and relationship with corvids come from his quirk or did his quirk come from his relationship with the birds? Jeffrey still didn't know and just like always; he was too grateful for the whole scenario to care.

A sudden high pitched squeal shocks Jeffrey out of his thoughts, dark eyes widening at the source of the sound. Gracelynn had frozen up in clear fright, dropping the metal piece with the cushion at her feet. She had her hands clasped together and positioned over her chest where her heart would be, lips trembling near uncontrollably as her already watery blue eyes shimmered in stress. Yet, Jeffrey paid it no mind, moreso noting that her body looked strange. It was almost as if the girl were literally melting in front of him and the dark haired boy feels it click; it was due to her quirk! Jeffrey could remember when she first appeared in the classroom, literally looking ready to melt when she had walked in late and was greeted with curious stares from the entire class. He makes to move over to her side and comfort her from whatever spooked the girl before she truly did melt into a puddle, but Nemuro beats him to it, the sleepy teen placing both hands on her shoulders firmly. His fingers even sunk into Gracelynn's shifting uniform but he plows along with his rescue plan. An impressive show of goodwill when he had looked just as ready to leave as Jeffrey had not even two minutes ago. Nemuro leans down to distract Gracelynn from whatever she saw, words monotone but holding a comforting air to them. "Calm down. It's not even a real snake…..not like it would kill you if it were real anyway." He spoke in the same voice one would use when addressing a hurt and startled animal; keeping them from panicking and further injuring themselves.

The blue-haired girl had begun to shiver and ripple, but Jeffrey can see her fists tightening at her sides as she nods at Nemuro. It took a moment, but little by little, her body began to stabilize itself just in time for Akashi to once again come barreling in. The sneer on his face could have curdled milk in seconds as the boy bends down and scoops up a serpent in one fluid movement. He chucks it over his shoulder like yesterday's garbage, red eyes pinning Gracelynn where she stood. "It's gone now, princess, you can cease melting like some low budget wicked witch of the West. Grab your piece, and I'll take this one so we can hurry up and get this thing over with. Minus your squeal of terror, you guys are actually shaping up to be tolerable in my presence." The serpent lands by Jeffrey's side, the dark-haired teen flinching slightly and ready to tell Akashi off when he gets a closer look at the snake. Instead of eyes, it had two tiny "X's," and its tongue lolled out of its gaping mouth in an obvious cutesy version of unconsciousness. Well, that was nice, Bright Lord wasn't endangering them with wild animals but still giving them a bit of a scare with little gag toys. A minor concern at best considering they had been able to get Gracelynn to calm down as she gives Akashi a very hesitant nod.

Nemuro rolls his eyes hard enough at Akashi's haughty comment that it concerns Jeffrey, the boy thinking the other may actually pull something in the process. Gracelynn pulls away from Nemuro after that, bending down to grab the seat from the grass and thanking the tall boy for being there to help bring her back to her senses. Akashi isn't far behind her, leaning down again to snatch up what looked like a metallic footstool with an obvious space in the center meant to hold the cushion in place. He flips the piece over to rest on his shoulder, a hand on his hip as he gives Jeffrey his dreaded attention. Those red eyes were getting on his nerves already, truly not wanting to hear the boy open his mouth again either. Not when just about everything he said was the perfect example of the type of people he disliked the most. Jeffrey forces himself to nod at Akashi, giving off the air that he knew exactly what the other boy would ask. Already turning on his heel to face a different direction and Jeffrey pulls the sheet up to his face with gusto, as if it would cement in the fact that he knew exactly what was on the redhead's mind. And surprisingly it works, getting only a snort from the boy before Jeffrey hears him stepping away. He didn't realize he was holding his breath until he lets it out in a heavy sigh worthy of Nemuro. Just two more pieces left, Jeffrey, then the assignment will be complete, and you can escape from this hell show.

It annoys him more, piling another heap of tension on to the whole thing. Why was it that he had to be dealing with someone like this? A hero academy was meant to be tough, yes, but the human corvid figured that would be more so due to their assignments and not their classmates. Well, it was only one really, Jeffrey had no issues with Nemuro or Gracelynn. He just felt bad for them and was tempted to try and break the tension with conversation of whatever topic appeared in his head first. Just something to break the silence while they followed after Akashi. What he didn't expect was for Nemuro to join his side with a curious look in his tired eyes. At first, Nemuro simply stared at him, silvery grey eyes piercing into him as if searching for something until his gaze drifts away. It brought a curious look to Jeffrey's own face, wondering what that had been about and ready to question it when Nemuro finally speaks. "You really like those birds, don't you? To have them following you around even at school like that...your family raises some kind of aviary or something?"

Jeffrey doesn't need to take his eyes away from the other boy, not needing to look up at the trees to know exactly what Nemuro spoke of. The birds weren't exactly silent, cawing to each other in their own little conversations; relaying information of any clues or hints they may have discovered while helping Jeffrey and his group find pieces of their assignment. He hadn't even asked them to help him, Ravenna was the first to start, and Videa, as well as Morgana, simply followed her example. It was almost embarrassing if he really thought about it, the ravens jumping in to help him with school like overprotective sisters. Embarrassing but not something he hated, only giving him enough discomfort to rub at his arm where the tattoo of a raven lay hidden beneath his dark suit jacket. The black ink of the aviad in flight wasn't known by many during school hours just like the other blemishes he hid beneath his daily clothing. The main purpose of always wearing long sleeves was to hide the crisscrossing scars marring the bottoms of his forearms.

He didn't need questions about those, pushing the memories away before they could drag him in again. Those images still haunted his dreams, and no amount of reassurances from his mother could send them away. _If only I had- no! Don't even go there, Jeffrey, it's in the past, and she's happier now regardless._ They always told him it wasn't his fault, these kinds of things just tended to happen. Life just worked on its own agenda and trying to understand it would drive someone insane. Insane or throw them on the runaway freight train of self-harming behavior. Behavior that was never just one isolated incident, no, one incident became five and five became hundreds until it stretched indefinitely for years unless intervention came up. Horrid memories, sleepless nights, waking nightmares; it all went hand in hand in Jeffrey's life. The main reason he was so distrusting of the world as he could never determine what it would do and how it would go about it. For all he knew, his entire familiar could be whisked away tomorrow. It was a sensitive topic, but one that's easily buried under him shrugging and nodding at Nemuro. Months of practice; that's what he went through just to get to the point where he could pretend he was simply bored or disinterested, not tearing himself apart in his mind over siblings no longer in his life.

 _Stop it! You're in class, and someone is trying to make conversation._ The nagging voice jabs at him from within; himself, the voice was always his own as it yanked him out of his pity moments. Always bringing up very valid points before he could go too far, dwell too deep and risk having yet another relapse. The corvid could feel his arms aching, specifically the scars underneath them, twitching and becoming itchy but he ignores it. Shoves the feelings away in a little black box that he tosses into the further recesses of his thoughts.

Anything to take his mind's eye away from the whole thing and Videa senses his distress immediately. The large black bird caws in her own way of comforting him, landing on his shoulder to nuzzle his cheek with her beak. But to Nemuro, it would have simply seemed as if the bird were illustrating his point. Showing up right after being mentioned to make the entire group wholly aware of her existence as she peered at them with beady black eyes. Jeffrey's hand comes up to ruffle the sleek, dark feathers around Videa's neck, a faint smile toying at his lips when the bird peeps at the touch. "No, my family just always had a talent for animals. Our quirks all relate to them in some way; mine is based around corvids or more specifically, just ravens and crows. Having my quirk for so long, I've built deep relationships with the intelligent birds, and now a few of them follow me around all the time. They're like my extended family from another species; Videa. Morgana. Ravenna. The main ones that hang around me, keep me company and speak to me when I'm bored. They aren't just pets to me; it runs so much deeper than that."

He raises the arm connected to the shoulder Videa is perched on, and the corvid lifts herself into the air in time to be joined by her sisters. The ravens circle around Jeffrey for a moment, long enough for the teen to point them out and repeat their names, then they're flitting to the trees again with little cries. To anyone other than Jeffrey, it would sound like meaningless chatter by the birds. But the dark-haired teen could understand them perfectly, feeling the intense urge to roll his eyes at them. _We love you too, Jeffrey!_ Corny creatures, thank the gods only he could interpret their cries. The last thing he needed was a bucket of embarrassment from lovey-dovey feathered sisters. Nemuro misses the entire moment, his gaze following the birds and he blinks slowly; looking confused and tired at the same time. "They all look the same to me." He deadpans, turning away from the tree they had vanished into. He looked so unamused as if Jeffrey had given him way more information than he cared to know.

In a way, Jeffrey could say he had, but he doesn't say that out loud. Only frowns at Nemuro before turning away and resuming their little hunt. He doesn't look over his shoulder as he keeps the conversation going, "it's easy when you've been around them for the majority of your life. Ever hear how we say that Asians do not all look alike? You just need to look at them more closely; the differences are as clear as day to me."

He's not aware of the expression on the sloth-like boy, but he can tell by his tone that Nemuro is skeptical, possibly even having his hands crossed and head tilted at an angle of disbelief. "I'm not judging, that just sounds….well, you have a point I guess. You've been around them longer as well, they could each have their own little individual habits, or it's a more literal thing. A difference in the placement of their feathers or whatever- hey, what's the next riddle?"

Jeffrey lifts the sheet as if to glance at it before shoving it in his pocket, the frown from earlier was slipping back into a scowl. _Change the subject once you get uncomfortable or bored, people are all the same_. Was it so hard to meet someone other than his family that understood how different animals could be? Just because they didn't have such variation in skin or facial appearances didn't mean they were difficult to tell apart. It required next to no effort, and yes he did say he had been around them for years, but Jeffrey could tell them apart within that very first hour. Whatever, why are you moping about someone not liking ravens as much as you? Annoying; that's what the voice in his head was, but he would listen to it. So he pulls the sheet back out of his pocket and skims the third riddle on their list. " ** _From small in size to big as coins, we leap over blades of green and are so known as_** …"

Nemuro gives the other boy a look of such absolute and total boredom that Jeffrey feels the need to hold his hands up in a "don't-look-at-me" gesture. It wasn't his fault all the riddle so far had been horrendous little things, easy to find the answer but sounding more like little nursery rhymes more than anything. Sure it made the whole thing a walk in the back, guaranteeing that they would get those extra points towards their grade, but what was the value in that if they didn't even work hard for it? The answer could have been as simple as the fact that it was only their very first day of school and Jeffrey nods to himself before mentioning as much to Nemuro.

"Don't give me that look, I didn't write these things. Yes, they're…..not the hardest, but it just means we're guaranteed to finish before the others. And look on the bright side, it's the first day of class, I expected a serious challenge as much as you but I won't complain about it being easy right now." _So long as it doesn't **stay** easy_. No amount of words would be able to express how disappointed Jeffrey would be if the school couldn't provide any challenge for him but he had enough trust in him to believe the academy wouldn't let him down. Yet, that didn't apply to the classmates around him just yet, especially not when Nemuro just yawns loudly at him. Making it all the more clear that he'd much rather be in bed or vegging out on the elegant chair they were quickly gathering the pieces for.

\- **_Done_** ; they were just about done at this point, needing only one more piece to complete the throne Bright Lord set them out to collect. Jeffrey could feel the weight and stress of the assignment slowly lifting off his body in huge chunks. Just a few more minutes; just a few more paces. All we need is the back piece, and this thing will be complete, then I can eat something and relax again. He'd looked at the riddle again, scoffing each time he read it. " ** _Dressed in a coat of red and black socks, hounds hunt me with no luck_**." The answer should have been written right after the phrase, clear as day and in bright, bold letters because Jeffrey felt almost insulted with it. _Fox, the answer to this thing is so painfully obviously a fox._ _Aren't these things meant to challenge us?_ First days of school weren't meant to be this exhausting and Jeffrey wouldn't have minded too much if the stress came from some kind of training versus a scavenger hunt. Sure he had wanted a challenge, but he would have preferred the challenge come from the assignments and from dealing with his fellow classmates. But it was whatever at this point; being ready for any situation was the bare basic foundations of any good hero. There was no such thing as a perfect and easy day in the heroing world. Yet, something was starting to bug him now; an itchy scratchy feeling that wouldn't leave him alone. It felt as if he were being tracked or prodded with something repeatedly while someone giggled from afar. Then the realization hits him like a freight train, and his eyes widen: _we're being watched!_

No sooner had the thought flashed into his mind, had Ravenna and Morgana burst from the treetops with warning cries. Their words blared into his head like a megaphone stuck on repeat; _Danger, Jeffrey, Danger!_ Jeffrey twists his body around, eyes wild and searching for what had spooked his precious friends. Normally, they would have just shouted to get his attention, a little warning cry that would snap him into shape. But them fleeing from the trees like bats out of hell….no, this meant something serious was on its way. He'd expected to see another wayward false animal, another little prank by Bright Lord, not a bright blue ball of fire hurtling straight for Akashi's back.

The redhead had his eyes on the ravens, a hand raised to block out the sun. No doubt wondering why the creatures were fleeing so suddenly while squawking at the tops of their lungs. Jeffrey throws caution to the wind; a wind that his large black wings ride on as soon as they burst from his back to propel him towards the redhead. "Akashi, look out!" the words are ripped from his throat just before he slams into the older boy, sending them both tumbling to the ground while the ball of blue flame sails over their heads. It had come in like a softball, spinning, and looping in the air as if it were alive. Almost as if controlled by some remote, the ball fizzles out of existence after passing over their heads. Jeffrey hauls himself to his feet, wings flapping twice before they retreat back into his body. His dark eyes glared at the tall grass and trees, fingers clenching and twitching as adrenaline made his body hum. He was thankful for his ability to communicate with the ravens, getting warnings for danger right away and communicating them to his teammates to cut out any time they would have spent being confused on the avian cues.

Akashi wasn't far behind him, jumping to his feet and dusting himself off with a glowering scowl plastered on his face. His uniform was messy; something he fixes with practiced ease, then he's cocking his head to the side and scanning the area just like Jeffrey. Gracelynn and Nemuro both had shock written all over their expressions, completely caught off guard by the fact that something or someone had just attacked one of their own. The seconds tick by almost endlessly until Akashi spits at the ground, hands shoved in his pockets and looking all the parts of some high school delinquent. "Hey! Whoever the fuck threw that shit, come out and fight face to face! Or are you just gonna keep hiding around in the grass all day?"

A strong breeze travels the area, making the grass sway and tickle their legs; a deepening silence only broken by the occasional cry from the ravens. The moment seems to last an eternity, tensions rising high all over again as the students wait to see who the culprit was. It was an unspoken agreement among them; a suspicion that had been festering in the backs of their minds. The possibility of a pro-hero or Bright Lord himself spicing up their hunt was always there. What they didn't take into consideration was another student coming after them. Long blond hair blew in the breeze around them as Ritsuo slinked from behind two trees. His eyes were mere slits as they curved up and beneath his eyebrows, lips pulled into a smirk of pure mischief. The picture of an ornate fox mask pops into Jeffrey's head, a mirror image of the pretty boy's own expression. An unsettling chuckle slips past the grin on his face, head tilting slightly like a curious child. "Oh, I wasn't going to hide there forever. I really only wanted to land that one fireball on you; think of it as your first strike. A warning to watch what you say before you end up hurting someone." The blond turns on his heel after that, looking ready to dip back into the trees as if he hasn't just thrown a ball of fire at his own classmate.

Jeffrey glares at the other student's back, fists twitching at his sides as white-hot anger boils inside of him. What the hell is this guy up to? Going out of his way to just randomly attack us like this all to prove some self-righteous point? Yet, Jeffrey doesn't get a chance to voice any of the wild questions running rampant in his head. Not when someone else beats him to it in seconds. It was Akashi, harsh and haughty as always, "You threw that spitball at me for that?! As if your bird brain friend wasn't annoying enough, now you're trying to start shit with me? I'm going to make you regret ever coming after me, you little hypocrite!" At Akashi's angry words, Ritsuo had turned to face him, with that same mischievous smile on his lips. The blond was making it obvious that he wasn't taking Akashi seriously, even going so far as to the redhead by signaling for him to come over with one hand.

Whether it was a trap or simply just the fox boy taunting him, Akashi takes the bait right away and kicks off into a sprint, rushing at Ritsuo with powerful speed. At the same moment, electric blue lines dance across the surface of the hand Ritsuo had used to taunt the redhead with. The air shimmers around the appendage as a trio of blue fireballs swirl into the air just above his palm. The blue glow from the large embers makes his pale skin stick out, even more, giving him an ethereal look that has Jeffrey's hair standing on end.

Akashi was unaffected by this, only digging his feet into the ground harder, increasing his speed as he nears the blond with nothing but rage on his face. His wrist flicks at his side, revealing a silver shine that catches Jeffrey's eyes before Akashi flips his wrist again and a high whistle sounds through the air. Ritsuo's eyes may have appeared closed, but the lanky boy spots the throwing motion at the same time as the corvid, twisting his body in a dance and flicking his own wrist to send the trio of fireballs towards Akashi.

The small blade Akashi had thrown, flies right past the blond, making Ritsuo's smirk grow deeper, leaning forward in anticipation as his flames near the redhead. "You missed." Words spoken with a calm coolness not fitting the situation at all. It gave away the feel of the other's actions being planned from start to finish, clearing the fact that Ritsuo had this in mind for a while now. Just how long had he been following them, tracking them and plotting from amongst the green blades of their simulation?

However, when it seemed like the flames would actually come into contact with Akashi, the boy vanishes from sight to reappear behind the other teen. "Lick my feet, mutt!" Akashi calls out while twisting his body in mid-air to deliver a fierce spinning kick to the side of Ritsuo's face. It all happened so quickly that Ritz barely had time to throw his hands up in an attempt to protect himself, but it wasn't enough to keep Akashi's leg from connecting, and Ritsuo gasps in pain, the blow knocking him off his feet. It sends him twisting and nearly spinning in the air to land on his side with another gasp of pain as the air leaves his body. Surprisingly, the blond pulls himself to his feet rather quickly with another batch of fireballs hanging in the air beside him. He was panting already, the ominous fox smile was back on his face as he sizes Akashi up. The redhead had landed by his side, an odd grimace twisting his lips as if he were in pain as well. Looking the boy over, Jeffrey can see singed pants, as well as a tiny blue flame, licking away at Akashi's shoulder that the haughty boy quickly snuffs out with a few swats of his hand.

Ritsuo giggles, the sound that had left his lips was too high and giddy to be considered a normal laugh as he wipes the blood away from his mouth, "An even trade off, don't you think? You call me a hypocrite, but I'm willing to walk away if you're satisfied with landing your own hit on me."

But Akashi was smirking as well, chuckling even as he rolls his shoulders. "Idiot; you think I missed like that knife toss on accident? It's part of my quirk, and you're about to get another dose of it because I'm not done teaching you a lesson!" Ritz only has time to look perturbed before the redhead is rushing at him again, veering to the left sharply, only to disappear again and appear under the blond. Keeping their "fight" in close quarters, Jeffrey can see how easily Akashi can catch the fox boy off guard again. He wasn't giving Ritz any time to react or put distance between them, and the thin boy seemed to have no experience with close range or even fighting in general, taking blow after blow from Akashi.

It almost made him want to step in and stop this madness; Ritsuo had already claimed to be willing to step away and yet he had been the one to start the whole mess in the first place. They were supposed to be having some type of fun with this class, not going out in a full-on brawl against each other. And yet neither he nor Nemuro or even Gracelynn seemed willing or ready to jump into the fray. It was as if something inside them was keeping them from jumping in, a force field that pushed them to actually move further away and give the two fighting boys more space. Perhaps they just assumed Bright Lord would appear to stop the fighting or they were expecting each other to go in and end the match. Whatever the reason was, Jeffrey simply kept his distance, fists clenching and unclenching as he worried at the inside of his cheek with his teeth.

Akashi was handling himself well enough, he didn't need saving. Ritsuo, the crazy fox for attacking them seemed to be successfully creating distance between them now. His lip was split, and bruises were becoming obvious against his ivory skin, but that eerie fox grin was still on his face. It was almost as if he were enjoying this, as if he were purposefully letting Akashi beat down on him. Possibly in some strange attempt at seeing if giving Akashi what he wanted would somehow make him stop attacking. Until Jeffrey realizes that exactly what is happening; the redhead had been too busy assaulting Ritsuo with punches and kicks to have noticed it. Completely missing the fact that the blond's hands had been moving in quick flicks and twists just before every strike. It could have been seen as various failed attempts at blocking each strike, but for each one, a little ball of blue flame burst into the air and was flung away. Now a whole cloud of the little fireballs hung in the air above the two boys, and Ritsuo was at a far enough distance that he could safely raise his hands and slam them back down.

Akashi looked confused at the gesture, sneering at the boy before even he noticed what it was signifying. He looked up just in time to see the grisly sight of a blue fire snowstorm from hell plummeting his way. His red eyes widened in a perfect mixture of shock and fear, throwing himself forward to avoid the flames a second too late. A groan of pain is snatched from him with the fire catching both of his legs to sear and burn at the fabric before Akashi swats at the flames again. Another grimace of pain was on his face, struggling to his feet where he then leans more heavily on his left foot. His right leg had taken more damage, the skin red and raw as smoke swirled around the burned remains of his school pants. Ritz cocks his head to the side, frowning in mock concern for the boy. "Are you satisfied now? You got to 'teach me a lesson,' and I returned the favor just as easily. Why don't we call it even now? Unless you don't mind getting burned again."

A good three inches had been charred away on both sides, and Akashi's glare was now a hateful glower as he looked ready to eviscerate Ritsuo as soon as he could get his hands on him. Blue flames licked at the grass around them hungrily, spreading quickly and threatening to drag the other three members of Akashi's group into the brawl. Ritsuo seemed to be the only one completely unaffected by the fires, even when a few tendrils snaked his way and caressed his own pant leg. Only for the blonde to wave a hand and the tendrils of blue fire by his leg curl and begin to fade away. Akashi barks out a laugh, a hard and derisive sound, "Even? You really think I'm just going to back down under that stupid guise of us being even? You're going to learn what it means to look down on me. You don't know who you're messing with. I'm not ending this thing until I know for a fact that you've learned your lesson; I wasn't even going all out on you yet!"

Jeffrey knew this was going too far now; he had to step in and stop them before they completely destroyed the simulation, taking the others out with them. He could see how the fires that hadn't been closer to Ritsuo were still burning strong and his ravens had yet to stop squawking at him, demanding he take action before it was too late. Yet, he was frozen in place, not out of fear but out of indecision. Akashi could handle himself just fine in the fight while he could focus on putting out the fires or going for help. But another part told him that with the source of the flames still running loose, too much damage could occur in the time it took him to perform either action. Realizing how he was beginning to feel overwhelmed fills Jeffrey with frustration. How many times had he told himself that in a war, indecision would get him killed? And yet, here he was right now being indecisive and anxious as the blue fire raged around them. This is so stupid! Do I really want another repeat of that situation all those years ago? I can actually do something to stop this, to fix this mess before it really does get out of hand. Why am I hesitating?!

Before Jeffrey could spiral too far into berating himself, he feels a timid hand on his shoulder and turns to see watery blue eyes peering at him, piercing into his own eyes to reach his soul from within. In that moment, Jeffrey can feel what the girl is trying to convey to him. Her desire to help center him and help him focus on what's directly in front of him, keeping him from drifting too far from the reality they were in. Gracelynn says nothing to him, only giving him a view of her lip trembling for a moment before pursing into a thin line in grim determination, silently asking him to do the same. Her other hand shimmers and twitches, morphing into a whip of crystal clear water. Using the newly created whip, Gracelynn lashes at the growing fire, snuffing the flames out and filling the air with the sound of water hissing into steam from the heat. Jeffrey observes Gracelynn, thoroughly impressed by her sudden change in demeanor. I was wrong about her; she isn't just some timid girl. It's more as if she was simply shy and caught off guard back then. Not only could she keep her head on straight but she even helped me break out of my little freak out. Between her and Nemuro, Jeffrey had honestly been sure that the sleepy boy would offer to help much sooner than the shorter girl. She had seemed so unassuming earlier, literally shrieking in fright over a fake snake and having a constant near-tears expression on her face. Looking at her now; small frame lashing at the fires with more power and grace than he would imagine, it was as if he were looking at a whole new person and it began to invigorate him as well. Watching the tiny girl work with such determination and precision was all the convincing it took to get Jeffrey to do the same morphing his legs into large raven feet with wicked long silver talons on the ends. Massive dark wings extend from his back, the onyx feathers lighting up with a silvery-blue glow thanks to Ritsuo's quirk.

He moves to an area opposite of Gracelynn, digging into the dirt by scraping his talons into the ground to tear out clumps of grass and black dirt. Utilizing his wings, he flaps the appendages quickly, sending the dug up sand towards the fires to choke the flames out and deprive them of oxygen. They fizzled away, leaving the dark charred remains of dead grass that had Jeffrey shaking his head. This is just too insane, his eyes flick to Nemuro, noting that the boy was intently watching Ritsuo and Akashi. Despite looking as ready to drop into napping position, as usual, there was that tell-tale glare that Jeffrey remembered from earlier. The same glare he had given Akashi when he looked ready to knock the cocky boy out with the elaborate throne cushion. And now, the raven couldn't tell if that glare was still directed at Akashi or if it was meant for Ritsuo- or even both students. Their fighting seemed to have stopped for a moment, but the feminine blond boy managed to flip the advantage to his side in that time. He was bloodier and more bruised up now, split lip painting a thin red trail down to his chin while his long hair was in disarray, the bruises were a dark purple against his skin. His movements were jerky now as well, looking as if the blond would trip over his own two feet at a moment's notice. Akashi didn't look much better, but while Ritz was layered in bruises and spotted with random specks of blood, the redhead looked like he had just rolled around in a fire and barely made it out. Strands of his spiky hair had been burnt, the ends flecked with the black color of char. Parts of his pants and U.A jacket had small holes eaten through by Ritz's fire, with some still smoldering at the edges like lit charcoal as he kept his eyes trained on the blond.

A look passes between them; sizing each other up in search of any gaps or weaknesses. Areas either could go for to put the other out of commission once and for all. Even for as tired as he was, Akashi wasn't about to admit defeat, the fierce look on his face told it all. Lips pulled back, teeth barred as he panted for breath. It was completely forgotten that class was still in session, that he still had teammates behind him. All he had on his mind was the blond not even fifteen feet away from him. That infernal smirk was on his face, a tad crooked as his chest rose and fell in rapid succession. He swayed on his feet slightly, a bluff at going after Akashi, lunging forward just half a step only to fall back on the balls of his feet with a chuckle. Ritz was trying not to show just how tired he was but it was plenty obvious to both Akashi and Jeffrey even with his continuous taunting. For all he was going through, the blond viewed the whole thing as some elaborate game; a way to mess with the redhead and rile him up.

He didn't have to try very hard either, Akashi was already balling up his fists, coming at him for more. Despite how tired he must have been, how much the burns could have been paining him, Akashi still has the energy to bum rush Ritsuo again. He left out his quirk, only going for a normal charge, gearing himself up in an attempt to deck the blond in the face and knock that twisted smirk off. He would be the winner of this for sure; he was the next top hero, the ace of class 1-B and he demanded the respect for it. The fates were on his side as per usual; evident when Ritsuo tries to step back, moving his feet to slink away from the blow only to get his legs tangled underneath him and the boy collapses. Akashi sneers at him, the perfect image of someone ready to gloat, knowing full well that this was match just about done. Now all he needed was to seal it all together, to truly drive it home that he was leagues above the blond underneath him.

"This is what happens when you go for people you can't handle. You should have stayed with your little group of buddies when you had the chance, now you're getting torn apart by me, and you're still sitting there snickering to yourself?" Akashi plants himself on the blond, sitting on Ritsuo's stomach, pinning his arms above his head with one hand, slender fingers curled around the pale wrists. All that taunting and Ritz couldn't muster the strength to break free but true to what the redhead said, the boy chuckles from his position.

"You think that just because I'm on the ground, I'm suddenly out of this little fight. I'm far from giving up, I've still got one trick in my hat." Jeffrey was too far, but he could swear he saw something blue just behind Ritsuo's lips. An indigo glow that pulsed and flickered with his speech. Akashi hesitates, not sure if the other boy were being serious or if this was merely a bluff. No matter what it was, he wasn't going to let Ritz get to him, not again at least.

"You think some fancy light show with your mouth is gonna finish me off? That's past the point of some deranged day dream you got going on, fox face!" Just when it looked as if Ritsuo were going to unleash the ace up his sleeve, Nemuro finally breaks into action.

The boy that had always seemed so tired and exhausted, heavy bags under his eyes and all, suddenly cuts between the boys with a yell. "Enough! You two are clearly too dumb to just walk away from this, so I'm ending it myself!" His normally dull voice had more life in it than ever, shocking both boys to their cores. The blue light just past Ritsuo's lips goes out while Akashi drops his hands from the boy's neck. They both looked on in confusion as Nemuro places one hand on each of them, making sure that all five of his fingers make contact with their bodies. The digits begin glowing with a neon purple light, illuminating Nemuro's face contorted in anger and exertion as dozens of violet lights surge from his fingertips up to his elbows. The longer the lights traveled across his skin, the more exhausted he, Ritz and Akashi looked, with the latter two boys even beginning to yawn. They blinked at him blearily, confusion not able to reach their face as the intense need to just rest completely overtakes them. Akashi is the first to drift off into sleep, one hand on the fox boy's chest while the other had a loose hold on Ritsuo's shoulder. But it doesn't remain there for long because the fox boy is the next one to pass out, tipping back onto the grass with a gentle thump. As soon as the blond was out, the fires around them follow after, fading away into nothing but thin curls of black smoke. Nemuro nods in deep satisfaction, a thin smirk on his face just before he falls over backward, his head creating a near painful sounding thump.

Jeffrey rushes over to the boys, first leaning over the boy with violet locks as he checks him over for any other damage. The sound Nemuro's head had made when connecting with the ground left him worrying and fretting. He had been laying so still on the ground, hard to tell if he was even breathing and the corvid was beginning to think he had seriously injured himself in the process of stopping Ritsuo and Akashi from fighting. Then the sound of a deep, rumbled snore emanating from Nemuro's chest has the dark teen rolling his eyes heavily. But it was out of relief more so than annoyance, just glad that his classmate hadn't inadvertently offed himself. Gods, since when, were first days of school so exhausting?

* * *

 **_End Chapter Two Part Three_**

 **AND there was part three of the first day of school! Man I thought the last chapter was a beast, this one is almost just as long XD**

 **Who's your new fav oc? Anyone stand out this time? Did you get to know someone a bit more?**

 **A warm welcome to Kaiya for getting her first scene intro scene! XD She should be the last of our females for 1-B for an intro. And aww, don't you guys just love how precious Ryoku is?! And what about Kokichi? He's definitely showing a new side compared to his entrance exam. And oh bless Ryuji's heart, he was going through some stuff this chapter XD What did you think of group three and group four? What about that ending scene? I guess you guys probably predicted the mischievous Ritz jumping in to cause some trouble huh? He and Akashi REALLY don't get along. I swear both of these groups were SO DIFFERENT. Like geez. We literally had this chapter written and then ended up rewriting it because it was too long and too overwhelming lol. Thank goodness Nemuro decided to use his quirk to put out this fight XD And poor Gracelynn just hanging on for the ride. She was so overwhelmed with this group of guys XD And dang, Jeffrey really was driving this group, to say the least. XD**

 **Next chapter should be the ending of our day with an official intro for 1-A and maybe a few other characters? You will just have to wait and see ;D You guys know the drill, If you have any scene ideas, or even want to see certain characters interact, please let us know in your review.**

 **Thanks again, everyone** **! Please remember to R &R. Advice and constructive criticism are both welcome.**

 **Have a wonderful day! Hit us up on PM or through the forum! And don't forget to vote for the poll and to check out the TVTropes site to update your character profiles! Thanks, sweeties! It's great to be back! :D**


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